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Radon Action Month
Governor Proclaims January Radon Action
Month
January, Denver, CO - On January 4,
2006, Colorado Governor Bill Owens issued a
proclamation (PDF
275 KB) declaring January Radon Action Month. Radon is a
naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is
harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in
buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels. Unhealthy radon
levels are present in about 43% of Colorado homes, compared
with 6% of homes across America. Boulder County Public Health
urges Boulder County residents to take action during this
year’s Radon Action Month by testing their homes for elevated
levels of radon. It is a serious public health hazard with a
straightforward solution.
The National Academy of Sciences (NAS)
presented its report ‘The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor
Radon’ in 1998. This report is the most definitive
accumulation of scientific data on indoor radon. It confirms
that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the
U.S. and is a serious public health problem. The NAS concluded
that radon causes between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths
in the U.S. per year. In Colorado, radon contributes to as
many as 1,400 lung cancer deaths per year. However, because
you can’t see or smell radon, people often fail to test for
it.
Testing homes for elevated levels of radon is
simple and inexpensive. If discovered, radon problems can be
mitigated. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or
National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) certified
radon test kits are available at local hardware stores, home
improvement stores, Boulder Center for Resource Conservation
or directly from a Radon Measurement laboratory. Many are
priced under $25.00.
Boulder County Public Health is collaborating
with Colorado Department of Health and Environment (CDPHE),
National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), and U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in an effort to educate
Coloradoans about the dangers of radon exposure and to
encourage them to take action to identify and fix radon
problems in their homes. To this end, Boulder County Public
Health disseminates radon information and conducts public
seminars on a variety of radon topics.
For more information on radon, radon testing,
and radon mitigation:
Air Quality Program, Environmental Health Division,
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH)
3450 Broadway, Boulder, CO 80304
(303) 441-1564,
www.BoulderCountyAir.org
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