The U.S. Surgeon General warned the American public about the risks of breathing indoor radon by issuing a national health advisory. The advisory is meant to urge Americans to prevent this silent radioactive gas from seeping into their homes and building up to dangerous levels. Dr. Carmona issued the advisory during a two-day Surgeon General’s Workshop on Healthy Indoor Environment. “January has officially been designated as National Radon Awareness Month,” states radon mitigation specialist Benjamin Ingalls. “Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the county,” Dr. Carmona said. “It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.” Radon is an invisible, odorless and tasteless gas, with no immediate health symptoms, that comes from the breakdown of uranium inside the earth.
Simple test kits can reveal the amount of radon in any building. Those with high levels can be fixed with simple and affordable venting techniques. According to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates, one in every 15 homes nationwide have a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level of 4 picoCuries (pCi/L) per liter of air. Radon gas in the indoor air of America’s homes poses a serious health risk. More than 20,000 Americans die of radon-related lung cancer every year. Millions of homes have an elevated radon level. If you also smoke, your risk of lung cancer is much higher.
Test your home for radon every two years, and retest any time you move, make structural changes to your home, or occupy a previously unused level of a house. If you have a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more, take steps to remedy the problem as soon as possible. Americans need to know about the risks of indoor radon and have the information and tools they need to take action. That’s why EPA is actively promoting the Surgeon General’s advice urging all Americans to get their homes tested for radon. If families do find elevated levels in their homes, they can take inexpensive steps that will reduce exposure to this risk. “Based on national averages, we can expect that many of the homes owned or financed by federal government programs would have potentially elevated radon levels.
The federal government has an opportunity to lead by example on this public health risk. We can accomplish this by using the outreach and awareness avenues we have, such as EPA’s Web site, to share information and encourage action on radon to reduce risks,” said Edwin PiA„ero, Federal Environmental Executive, Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFEE). Complaints of workplace air quality violations have doubled since 1990. The Surgeon General’s Workshop on Healthy Indoor Environment is bringing together the best scientific minds in the nation to discuss the continuing problem of unhealthful buildings. Indoor environments are structures including workplaces, schools, offices, houses and apartment buildings, and vehicles. According to a recent study, Americans spend between 85 and 95 percent of their time indoors. “Radon is a serious, but common problem throughout the United States. Testing is not difficult or expensive, and when elevated levels are detected, the problem can be easily corrected using current radon mitigation technology,” said James Gelina, president of Air Quality Control Agency.
Posts tagged ‘Action’
(1888PressRelease) The EPA has designated January 2011 as National Radon Action Month. “This is an ideal time to check the radon levels in your home and workplace,” states Benjamin Ingalls, a Certified Radon Mitigation Specialist with Air Quality Control Agency of Denver, Colorado.
Denver, CO – The Surgeon General of The United States has designated January as National Radon Action Month. According to recent reports from the World Health Organization and EPA, radon gas is responsible for approximately 20,000 deaths in the U.S. and 100,000 deaths worldwide each year. This equates to about 15% of all lung cancer deaths. Statistically, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers and the second leading cause for smokers. Learn more about radon gas at: http://www.MitigationSystem.com
The World Health Organization recently lowered their limit or “action level” for indoor radon levels from 4.0 to 2.7 (picocuries per liter) in response to several worldwide studies that point to health risks at lower exposure levels of the gas. More than 100 scientists from 30 countries participated in the World Health Organization International Radon Project and assisted in the publishing of the Handbook on Indoor Radon which was released earlier this year.
According to The Environmental Protection Agency, over 8 million U.S. homes have dangerous levels of radon gas. The Surgeon General is urging the media, state health departments, and the press to participate in National Radon Action Month by helping to promote awareness of this silent killer. Testing for radon is easy and inexpensive. “Radon test kits can be purchased from hardware stores, health departments, or online for around $20.00,” states James Gelina; a certified radon mitigation specialist with Air Quality Control Agency. http://www.RadonMitigation.us
Members of the private sector are working side-by-side with government agencies to spread awareness of this cancer-causing threat. “By encouraging everyone to test their homes for radon and to take action when levels are elevated, we can all be a part this life-saving initiative” adds Ben Ingalls, who installs radon remediation systems throughout Colorado. “Radon problems can be fixed in most homes for under $1,000″ he adds.
January (which is National Radon Action Month) is the perfect time of year to test for radon gas. Testing in the summer time is difficult because occupants tend to keep windows and doors open for longer durations which could skew the results of the test. Since winter time is when people tend to spend more time indoors, it makes sense to test during this time. It’s a good idea to conduct a long-term or multiple short-term tests because radon levels can vary from season to season. You can also constantly monitor home’s radon levels with an electronic radon detector.
All homes should be tested for radon regardless of the age of the home, geographic location, or type of construction. Radon problems have been found in every state in the U.S. and since you cannot see, smell, or taste radon, the only way to know if your home is affected is to conduct a test. The EPA recommends that you conduct a test at least once every two years because radon levels can fluctuate over time. If you find that your radon levels are above the World Health Organization limit of 2.7, a qualified contractor can install a radon reduction system to fix the problem. In most cases, the work can be completed in a single day.
Radon gas causes more deaths each year than any other in-home hazard including fires, carbon monoxide, drowning, poisoning, falls, and even guns! National Radon Action Month is an ideal time to make your household a safer place. You can learn more about National Radon Action Month and local activities that you can participate in and help create awareness about this deadly carcinogen in 2011 by visiting http://RadonMonth.WordPress.com.
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There are many advantages to donating a car;
1. You don’t have to haggle with the car dealer over the trade in value of your car
2. You don’t have the expense of advertising your car in the paper or online
3. You won’t have strangers coming to your house to look at the car
4. You don’t have to make any repairs to your car, Cars4Charities take them as-is
5. You’ll get a valuable tax deduction
6. You’ll get free pickup
7. You can complete the entire donation process online at your convenience
8. You’ll support the charity of your choice
Cars4Charities will gladly handle the entire car donation process for you, have your car picked up fast and free and send the proceeds to the charity you select from their extensive list. Their list of charities includes National ones such as the American Foundation for the Blind, The American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association Foundation, Prevent Cancer Foundation, Freedom From Hunger, the Brain Trauma Foundation, Autism Speaks, Food for the Poor, Partners in Health, National Coalition for the Homeless, Fund for Peace, Diabetes Research Institute Foundation, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Association for Down Syndrome, Colon Cancer Prevention Foundation, Cancer Navigators, Teach for America, Cancer Research Institute, the Asthma & Allergy Foundation, and also many local charities like food banks and homeless shelters, etc.
Besides helping a very needy charity, you’ll get a tax deduction of at least $500 on your itemized federal return. Cars4Charities even allows you the ability to complete the entire car donation process online at your convenience. The online option is better for the environment because it reduces the use of paper and other consumables. If your car is in poor condition, Cars4Charities will make sure it is properly recycled.
Complete details are available at cars4charities.org/ or 1-866-448-3487 (GIVE-4-US).
