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Madison, Wisconsin — January is National Radon Action Month, and the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is encouraging residents and business owners to test their homes and buildings for radon.
Radon is an odorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the earth. Invade through the foundation of the building. Radon causes more lung cancer in nonsmokers than second-hand smoke. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer nationwide, and easy-to-use tests are widely available.
“Radon is an environmental health problem in our state. In Wisconsin, about 1 in 10 homes has elevated radon levels,” said state health officer Paula Tran. “To reduce radon exposure and radon-induced lung cancer in Wisconsin, we must encourage and support all Wisconsin citizens, including property owners and tenants, to actively participate in radon testing.”
Radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers annually, about 962 of them in Wisconsin, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General. DHS pointed out that this cause of lung cancer is largely preventable and the first step is to test your home for gas.
“Radon is found throughout Wisconsin, and the only way to know if your home or apartment has elevated levels is to test,” said Jessica Maloney, state radon program manager for DHS. “Low-cost test kits are available from the Radon Information Center in Wisconsin, and test kit promotions are running through her January.”
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends installing a mitigation system to prevent gas from entering your home if your test results are 4 picocuries per liter or more. Mitigation can be expensive, and the Wisconsin resident should visit her lowradon.org to find her RIC or call 1-888 LOW-RADON for a radon specialist at her local public health department. I can talk to my family.
Test kits are also available from hardware stores and local public health agencies. In Wisconsin, he has over 100 radon mitigation contractors certified to install radon mitigation systems if elevated levels are found. Both old and new homes can be susceptible to radon.
Beginning March 1, 2023, all licensed family and group childcare centers in Wisconsin must be tested for radon and mitigated if levels are 4 pCi/L or higher. Not required for licensed day camps.
For more information, visit lowradon.org.
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