October 17, 2007

Governor Jennifer M. Granholm has declared the week of October 21-27, 2007, to be Radon Action Week in Michigan and is encouraging all Michigan residents to learn more about this environmental hazard and test their homes during the coming heating season.

Radon is a tasteless, odorless, colorless, radioactive gas that occurs naturally in soil and rock. It normally travels up and out to the atmosphere where it is quickly diluted, but when trapped under a home's foundation, it can leak into the home through cracks and openings in the floor or walls, and exposure over time can increase one's risk of lung cancer.

Radon is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause among nonsmokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that it results in more than 20,000 lung cancer cases each year, and a Michigan Public Health Institute report indicates that more than 600 of those may occur in Michigan alone.

Residential surveys estimate that more than one in eight Michigan homes would be expected to have a radon problem, and while some counties have a higher incidence than others, any home could have a problem. There are no warning signs or symptoms, so each home must be tested.

Testing is easy and inexpensive, and the Department of Environmental Quality is partnering with local health departments to ensure that radon test kits and literature are accessible to all Michigan residents. The kits generally cost $12 or less from county or city health departments, and the price includes postage and lab fees. Kits can also be found at some hardware stores or home improvement centers, but not all include postage and lab fees in the retail price, so consumers are urged to read the packaging before making their purchase.

Closed house conditions are required for radon screening measurements, so homes are best tested during the cold weather heating season when doors and windows are normally kept closed. If testing indicates an elevated radon level greater than 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/l) of air, additional testing should be done to confirm the problem. If the radon level is confirmed to be high, then action should be taken to reduce the radon levels.

For more information about radon, visit 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 17, 2007 by Pat Watson