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Beware of radon, state officials say

Daily Independent - 4/24/2017

April 24--FRANKFORT -- As part of an Earth Day observance, the Kentucky Department for Public Health within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services urges residents to learn about radon exposure and how to check structures for the potentially dangerous gas.

CHFS Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson stressed the seriousness of the presence of radon.

"Earth Day is an excellent time to consider the environment, its impact on our health and hazards that may be in our own home," she said. "Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking and is prevalent in many areas of Kentucky. It's time we all learned a little more about radon, how to detect it in our home and what can be done if levels are elevated."

Radon occurs naturally in the environment and can be found in

rocks such as granite and limestone. An odorless, colorless, tasteless gas, radon produces radioactive energy when it decays.

Many Kentucky counties contain radon levels in excess of what is considered safe. In Jefferson County, for example, data indicate more than 49 percent of homes contain elevated radon levels and in Fayette County, more than 55 percent of homes contain elevated radon levels.

"There is no way to know if your house has high levels of radon unless you get your house tested," said Rebecca Gillis, director of the Division of Public Health Protection and Safety. "The good news is that radon levels in a home can be dramatically reduced or even eliminated."

More information about radon levels across the state is available at Kentucky EnviroHealthLink, a website designated to exploring how the environment affects health. The website includes a Radon Testing Map for the commonwealth.

"Because of the ways that radon and tobacco smoke damage the lungs, high radon levels are especially dangerous for people who smoke," said Janie Cambron, program manager for Kentucky EnviorHelathLink. "Your environment matters, especially in the case of radon. Smokers who live in homes with high radon levels have a risk of lung cancer that's 10 times higher than nonsmokers who live in homes with high radon levels."

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, elevated radon levels in homes are common. An estimated one in 15 homes in the United States has high radon levels.

"Living in a home with high radon levels can be dangerous for your health. Radon is estimated to cause more than 20,000 deaths each year in the U.S.," said Clay Hardwick, coordinator for the state's radon program.

Radon builds up in homes over time and cannot be seen, tasted or smelled. The only way to know if radon levels are elevated is to test, which is simple to complete and inexpensive. Testing kits are available for free through several local health departments throughout the state, as well as through the radon program by calling (502) 564-4856.

For more information about radon, radon testing and mitigation or to order a test kit, visit Kentucky's Radon Program website at chfs.ky.gov/dph/info/phps/radongas.htm or CDC's radon website at cdc.gov/radon.

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(c)2017 The Daily Independent (Ashland, Ky.)

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