TAKE ACTION ON RADON

Press release:
TAKE ACTION ON RADON

Ithaca, NY- Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This silent killer is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year, a number that could be dramatically reduced by easy, inexpensive home testing and repair.

In 2005, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, the U.S. Surgeon General, issued a national health advisory on radon in indoor air. The nation’s Chief Physician urged all Americans to test their homes to find out how much radon they might be breathing. Dr. Carmona also stressed the need to remedy the problem as soon as possible when the radon level is 4 pCi/L or more.

This past November, the EPA convened leaders of multiple federal agencies for a Federal Radon Summit. Why?
* Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. and the number of people at risk is growing.
* The presence of radon in your home can pose a danger to your family's health because it is a natural radioactive gas that you can't see or smell.

Although some areas of the country have higher average radon readings than others, all homes/buildings are at risk. Did you know that here, in Tompkins County, about 1 out of every 3 homes tested has a radon reading above the action level? Now that you know, what can you do?

January is National Radon Action Month - Test and Take Action.
The only way to know if radon is present at unsafe levels is to test your home. Conducting a radon test is as easy as opening a package, placing the detector in a designated area, and sending the detector back to the lab for analysis.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County will be holding two Radon Action Events in January: Jan. 20th from 2 to 4 PM and Jan. 26th from 5 to 6 PM at the CCE Education Center, 615 Willow Ave, Ithaca. (Doors will open 20 minutes before event starts.)

The program will consist of a 20-minute presentation on radon and a demonstration of how to do a home radon test. Free radon test kits will be given to the first 50 people attending. If the supply of free test kits runs out, order forms for discounted test kits ($8.50) will be distributed. No registration or reservations are necessary to attend. If you’d like more information on radon or the upcoming Radon Events, call Carole Fisher at (607) 272-2292.