KDHE Home - News 2000 - News Release
Kansas
Department of Health & Environment
Bill Graves, Governor
Clyde D. Graeber, Secretary
For Immediate Release
Contact: Sharon Watson, 785-296-5795
Governor Graves Proclaims Radon Action Week Oct. 15-21
The presence of radon in a home can go undetected for years while putting a resident's health at great risk. To continue to raise awareness about radon, Governor Graves has again proclaimed October 15-21 as Kansas Radon Action Week.
Governor Graves has requested the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) test the First Family's residence at Cedar Crest in Topeka for radon. Radon levels from a previous test there did not exceed the Environmental Protection Agency's recommended maximum exposure limit of 4 picocuries of radon per liter of indoor air (4 pC/l). However, it is recommended that additional testing be done following a remodeling project such as the recent one at Cedar Crest.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas which seeps up from the earth's crust into the atmosphere. The gas becomes a health hazard when it becomes concentrated inside an occupied building such as a home, school, or business.
"Next to smoking, chronic radon exposure is considered the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States," said Secretary of Health and Environment Clyde D. Graeber. "It is estimated that indoor radon may contribute to as many as 120 lung cancer deaths per year in Kansas. In addition, exposure to radon compounds the risk of lung cancer associated with smoking."
A study recently published in the American Journal of Epidemiology concluded that women with a radon exposure equivalent to 4pCi/l over 15 years are one and a half times as likely to develop lung cancer as women with a significantly lower exposure level.
Radon is odorless, tasteless, and invisible. The only way to know a home's radon level is to test. A typical radon test kit costs about $15 and is simple to use. The kits collect radon gas from within a building and are sent to a lab for analysis. The results are then reported to the purchaser. A variety of kits are available through county extension offices and specialty suppliers. Testing companies may use electronic instruments to determine radon levels in buildings.
"Radon is a public health issue nationwide," stated Graeber. "In Kansas, about 37 percent of completed home tests have exceeded the level set by EPA."
Generally speaking, the higher the concentration within the home and the more time spent there, the greater the health risk. KDHE recommends homeowners consult a certified radon contractor if levels above 4 pCi/l are consistently detected. A list of these contractors is available through the KDHE Radiation Control Section Home page at www.kdheks.gov/radiation. Simply visit the page, then click on "NEHA Certified Radon Contractors in Kansas."
If you have questions about radon, contact the Kansas Radon Hotline at 1-800-693-5343 or the National Radon Hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.
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