You Can’t See, Smell or Taste It, But It’s the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer

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You Can’t See, Smell or Taste It, But It’s the Second Leading Cause of Lung Cancer

Healthy Child

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Eddie had never heard of radon until his doctor diagnosed him with radon-induced lung cancer. He didn’t smoke, so the diagnosis was entirely unexpected. Eddie quickly learned that you can’t see, smell, or taste radon, but it can be present at a dangerous level in your home.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in America and claims the lives of about 20,000 Americans each year. Exposure to radon is a preventable health risk, and testing radon levels in your home can help prevent unnecessary exposure. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Four Things You Can Do:

1. Test your home - The US EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend that all homes in the U.S. be tested for radon. Testing is easy and inexpensive.

- Purchase a test kit from your local home improvement or hardware store. Many kits are priced under $25.00. You can also order them from Kansas State University (KSU) or radon testing companies. Another option is to hire a qualified tester
- Open the package, place the radon detector in a designated area, and, after a set number of days, send the detector back to a lab for analysis. The lab will then inform you of your radon test results.
- For additional information on obtaining test kits and test kit coupons, visit SOS Radon. Contact your state radon program for more information about obtaining test kits from your state or from a radon testing company or laboratory in your area.

2. Attend a National Radon Action Month event in your area - Look for radon events in your community. Contact your state radon program for more information about local radon activities.     

3. Spread the word .

• Tell your family and friends about the health risks of radon. Encourage them to test their homes. 
• Plan an activity in your community to help raise awareness. 
• Write an op-ed or letter to the editor. View tips and a sample op-ed and letter to the editor from EPA’s National Radon Action Month Event Planning Kit.
• Attract media attention by working with a local official to get a radon proclamation. View tips and a sample proclamation from EPA’s National Radon Action Month Event Planning Kit.   

4. Buy a radon-resistant home - If you are considering buying a new home, look for builders who use radon-resistant new construction.   

Learn more by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Information provided by the US EPA National Radon Action Month campaign.