FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2005
For additional information contact:
Amy Morris, Community Relations Coordinator at (616) 632-7110
Radon Awareness Week – October 16 - 22nd
Eastern Equine Encephalitis
(Grand Rapids, MI)—In observance of Radon Awareness Week, October 16-22nd, the Kent County Health Department is reminding residents to test their homes for radon.
Radon, a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas is the byproduct of the radioactive decay of uranium in the earth. As radon gas rises through the soil, it can seep into homes through cracks in the foundations, walls, older dirt-floored basement crawl spaces, sump pumps and wells. Long term exposure to elevated levels of radon can increase the risk of lung cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, radon is responsible for 21,000 cases of lung cancer in the U.S. each year, making it the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall.
The Health Department recommends testing your home for radon in the fall or winter, when windows are typically closed and radon, if present, is not diluted by fresh air from the outdoors. Environmental Health experts say it is important to be aware if radon is in your home, at what level and how long you have been exposed and how to evaluate the long-term health risk.
The Health Department’s Environmental Health Division maintains a database of home radon test results for homes tested in Kent County. Of the 7,359 valid test results received to date, approximately 18% showed a radon level at or above what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers unacceptable (4 pCi/l; 4 picocuries per liter of air).
Radon test kits are available from the Health Department, 700 Fuller N.E. location, between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, for $5.00. If additional testing is necessary to confirm an elevated radon level, the Environmental Health Division also supplies these tests to the public free of charge. If remediation or corrective action is necessary, detailed information and a listing of certified radon contractors is also available. Contact the Environmental Health Division at (616) 632-6904 for more information.
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The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) has been in the business of providing health services to the whole of Kent County since 1931. It is made up of four divisions: Administration, Community Clinical Services, Community Nursing and Environmental Health. The Health Department is home to nearly 325 employees including public health nurses, sanitarians, health educators, technicians, public health administrators and the Kent County Animal Shelter. KCHD operates five satellite clinics located in Wyoming, Kentwood, Rockford, Sheldon Complex, and the Westside of Grand Rapids. To learn more about our services visit www.accesskent.com/health
