Contributed by Aaron Berndt
The Michigan Indoor Radon Program’s primary focus is on outreach and testing. The program has two major partners in the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) and local health departments. MAB broadcasts over 18,000 public service announcements statewide for the Radon Program around Radon Action Month in January. The Radon Program has distributed over 18,000 test kits already this year along with various other outreach materials to the local health departments. This is instrumental in raising awareness locally in their communities and to increase radon testing in homes.
Program Staff participates in many outreach events statewide every year including but not limited to:
• various state and national conferences;
• home shows;
• local health department outreach events;
• annual meetings; and
• continuing education training sessions for realtors, appraisers, and home inspectors.
The Radon Program also partners with the local health departments to distribute radon test kits and various educational materials to the public.
The Radon Program maintains a radon hotline (800-RADONGAS) and email address radon@michigan.gov to handle inquiries from the public. The program also maintains a website (www.michigan.gov/deqradon) that the public can utilize for more information.
The Radon Program handles over 1,100 contacts per year from the radon hotline and the radon email address. People contact the program for a variety of reasons including but not limited to:
• where to get a radon test kit;
• how to interpret results;
• to discuss mitigation options;
• to get lists of testing or mitigation companies;
• to understand testing requirements for buying or selling a home; and
• to get the telephone number of the laboratory that analyzes test kits.
The State of Michigan does not license or certify measurement or mitigation professionals. The Michigan Indoor Radon Program does however encourage the use of certified professionals.
So far this year Program Staff have conducted outreach/presentation activities that include:
• Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign with MAB;
• Radon Action Month (RAM) proclamation from Governor Rick Snyder;
• Greater Lansing McLaren Lung Cancer Awareness Event;
• Grand Rapids Remodeling and New Homes Show;
• Livingston County 2016 Radon Summit;
• State of Michigan Earth Day Event;
• Lansing Home and Garden Show;
• Greater Lansing Association of Realtors Board Meeting;
• Rural Education Days in Washtenaw County;
• EPA Region 5 Annual Meeting;
• Ovid Lions Club Annual Meeting; and
• Michigan Environmental Compliance Conference.
Future activities this year will include the 2016 Radon Stakeholders Meeting, Greater Lansing Association of Realtors Annual Membership Meeting, continuing the PSAs, and gearing up for Radon Action month.
The program distributes the following materials:
• Charcoal Test Kits
• Radon Mitigation Packets
• Green Lady Radon Information Packets - Green Lady folders containing one each of County/District Health Department list, Monkey Bookmark, Reducing Radon Risks brochure, Citizen’s Guide to Radon, and Test Kit Placement Instruction sheet
• Radon Testing Packets (By e-mail)
• Home Buyer’s & Seller’s Guide to Radon
• Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction
• Building Radon Out
• How Healthy Is The Air In Your Home
• Care For Your Air
• Daycare Provider Information
• Radon Certification Packets
• A Radon Guide for Tenants
• Radon in Water Information
• Healthy Nest Pencil
• Radon Puzzle Page
• Radon Awareness Coloring Book
• A Citizen’s Guide to Radon
• Spanish Citizens Guide to Radon
• Dealing with Radon in Real Estate
• Monkey magnet
• Learning about Radon (storybook)
• Radon Measurement /Mitigation Provider Lists
• Test Placement Sheet
• Radon Supply Companies
• Reducing Radon Risks
• Where to Get Test Kit
• Buying a New Home
• Geology of Radon
• Indoor Radon In Michigan: School Survey Summary
• Michigan Residential Survey
• Radon Action Month Poster
• Map of Radon Zones Poster
• Lung Poster
• Healthy Nest Poster
• Monkey Poster
The Radon Program has distributed over 18,000 test kits already this year along with various other outreach materials to the local health departments. This raises awareness locally to increase radon testing in homes and if elevated levels of radon are found, mitigation is encouraged. Program Staff tends a booth at trade shows, conducts presentations in communities around the state, and works with MAB to broadcast over 18,000 public service announcements statewide.
Radon Test Kit Results from Air Chek, Inc., at www.radon.com are represented in the the attachment. Air Chek, Inc. has supplied the state of Michigan’s radon program with short-term radon test kits since 1992. The attached table compiles their test kit results at http://county-radon.info/MI for Michigan counties. Updated June 1, 2016
Also attached is the radon zone map for Michigan.
For more information, contact:
Aaron Berndt
Michigan Indoor Radon Program
815 Filley St. Lansing, MI 48906
Office: 517-327-2618
Indoor Radon Hotline: 800-723-6642
E-mail: radon@michigan.gov
www.michigan.gov/deqradon
United States