Number of Radon Tests, Mitigation System Installations Grows
Statewide
April 28, 2008 - DENVER - Growing numbers of Colorado
residents are testing their homes for radon, according to
the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
During 2007, 18,807 Colorado homes were tested for the
colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas - an increase
of 3,918 from 2006. Test results ranged from 0.05 to 605.8
picocuries per liter. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency recommends installing a mitigation system in homes
with readings exceeding 4 picocuries per liter.
Contractors certified by the National Environmental Health
Association installed 8,597 new mitigation systems statewide
in 2007, an increase of 764 from 2006.
Long-term radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer
in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in
smokers. The gas enters homes through cracks in the floor or
spaces around utility pipes, causing approximately 21,000
cancer deaths nationwide each year.
“Having a radon mitigation system installed in your home is
the single most effective way to reduce your overall
exposure to radiation in the environment,” said Chrystine
Kelley, Radon Program coordinator in the health department’s
Hazardous Materials and Waste Management Division.
“Qualified contractors can seal cracks and install
ventilation systems to prevent radon from collecting in your
home,” she added.
Radon test kits are available at most hardware stores for
less than $35. Additional information, including a link to
NEHA-certified contractors, is available on the Colorado
Department of Public Health and Environment’s Web site at
www.coloradoradon.info or by calling the department’s Radon
Hotline at 1-800-846-3986. Colorado residents also can check
with their local health department, county extension office
or public health nurses for radon information.
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