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EPA recommends radon testing in January - Protect your family from the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S.

Release Date: 01/17/2012
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543, smith.bonnie@epa.gov

PHILADELPHIA (January 17, 2011) - January is national Radon Action Month and the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency encourages everyone to test their homes for radon. The winter months are an especially good time to test homes and buildings because windows and doors are closed tightly and people are spending more time indoors.

Unsafe levels of radon can lead to serious illness. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States with an estimated 21,000 deaths a year. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. By making simple fixes in a home or building people can lower their health risks from radon.

Radon is a colorless, odorless gas and so testing is the only way to know if it is present indoors. The easy to use test kits are available at home improvement centers and hardware stores, and costs approximately $20. The cost for the analysis is included in the purchase price and instructions included in the kit provide further details.

Test for radon and fix the problem if you find elevated levels. These easy actions can lower the risk of lung cancer.

For more information about radon and radon testing see: https://www.epa.gov/radon/.