October 18, 2005

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has declared the week of October 16-22, to be Radon Action Week in Michigan and is encouraging state residents to learn more about this environmental health threat and to test their homes this heating season.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that emanates from the soil and seeps into homes through openings in the foundation floor or walls. It is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause among nonsmokers, resulting in more than 600 new lung cancer cases in Michigan each year.

“The good news is that once a problem is identified, elevated radon levels can be reduced,” said DEQ Director Steven E. Chester. “But the only way to know if your home has a problem is to test it, and I am urging homeowners to take that initiative.”

According to the Department of Environmental Quality, elevated radon levels have been found in every county in the state, and studies estimate that one in eight Michigan homes potentially have a radon problem.

Testing is easy and inexpensive. The DEQ is partnering with local health departments to ensure that radon test kits and literature are accessible to all Michigan residents. The kits generally cost less than $15 from county or city health departments, and include postage to mail the device to a laboratory where it will be analyzed and the results reported back to the user. Kits can also be found at hardware stores and other retail outlets, however, not all retail kits include postage and analysis, so citizens are urged to carefully read the packaging before making their purchase.

Radon tests should be done in the lowest livable level of the home during the cooler months of the year, when windows and doors are normally kept closed. If the test indicates an elevated radon level, additional testing should be done to confirm the problem and appropriate actions taken to reduce the levels when needed.

It is possible to reduce radon levels by simply caulking and sealing potential entry points, however, it may be necessary for homeowners showing elevated levels to hire a professional radon mitigation contractor to ensure the levels in their home are reduced.

To find out more about radon, visit the DEQ Web site at http://www.michigan.gov/deqradon or call the DEQ’s Radon Program at 1-800-RADON GAS (1-800-723-6642) for a free packet of information.

Editor’s note: DEQ news releases are available on the department’s Internet home page at www.michigan.gov/deq.

"Protecting Michigan’s Environment, Ensuring Michigan’s Future”

Revised October 18, 2005 by Shirley Smith for Pat Watson