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January is National Radon Action Month

Release Date: 01/08/2009
Contact Information: David Bryan, 913-551-7433, bryan.david@epa.gov

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NEWS MEDIA ADVISORY

(Kansas City, Kan., Jan. 8, 2009) - EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month. The aim of National Radon Action Month is to increase the public's awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the use of radon-resistant new construction practices.

What is radon?
Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth. Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Buildings with high levels can be fixed with simple and affordable venting techniques. EPA information

EPA estimates that one in every 15 homes nationwide has a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level of 4 picoCuries (pCi/L) per liter of air.

Healthy Homes
EPA also emphasizes the effects radon can have on children as part of the Healthy Homes program. Children are more sensitive to radon because their lungs are smaller and their respiratory rates are twice as high. By the age of 10, a child receives twice the lung dose of an adult who's been exposed to radon for the same length of time. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Breathing in high levels of radon can lead to lung cancer yet it is easy to avoid. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.

Media materials
EPA has developed a wide variety of media materials, including public service announcements (PSAs) and video news releases (VNRs). The media materials are available in television (MPG format), radio (MP3 format), newspaper, and print formats (press-ready PDF) for posting in public places. If you would like to view, listen to, and/or order one of our TV, radio or print ads, please visit http://www.epapsa.com.

Some radio stations may also have received recordings by state legislators attending the National Council for State Legislatures Legislative Summit in July 2008. The National Safety Council, which distributed these recordings, has also provided each targeted radio station with 30 free radon detectors to give away to callers.

Access to experts
If you are interested in developing a story about radon, EPA can provide information and materials to support your effort. EPA can help media representatives identify top scientific and medical experts at the forefront of indoor air quality research who address environmental health issues, including radon and indoor air quality.

Basic information for consumers

• Citizen's Guide to Radon
• Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon
• Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction

Resources and contact information
Indoor air pollution poses high risks to human health, especially sensitive populations, and has ranked among the top four environmental risks in relative risk reports. Chemicals and compounds contributing to indoor air pollution include radon, environmental tobacco smoke, organic chemicals and biological contaminants. The primary goal of the Region 7 Indoor Air Quality Program continues to be improving the quality of indoor air for Americans who live or work in homes, schools or office buildings.

Region 7 radon program contacts

• Media: David Bryan, bryan.david@epa.gov, (913) 551-7433
• Events/activities coordination: Jim Demary, demary.james@epa.gov, (913) 551-7287; or Bob Dye, dye.robert@epa.gov, (913) 551-7605

States

• Missouri radon contacts and information
• Iowa radon contacts and information
• Nebraska radon contacts and information
• Kansas radon contacts and information

Regulations on radon service providers
Several states have regulations on radon service providers. Below is a list of states with licensing or certification requirements. Visit their Web site to see a current list of radon service providers.

• Iowa radon homepage
• Nebraska radon homepage
• Kansas [Note: Kansas uses amended National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) lists. Kansas does not have state certification program.]
• Missouri: Uses NEHA National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP)
• NEHA National Radon Proficiency Program
• National Radon Safety Board
  
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  More EPA information on radon