|
1. Radon gas is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer among
nonsmokers. Overall, radon is the second-leading cause of lung
cancer. Radon is responsible for 21,000 lung cancer deaths every
year. --EPA
2. Radon is a radioactive gas that is found in soil
and rock in all parts of the United States. Radon gas is invisible,
odorless and tasteless. Radon is found in all types of buildings. It
seeps in through drains, cracks, and other holes or openings in the
foundation. --EPA
3. Radon is formed by the decay of uranium, which is
a natural process. Radon gas escapes easily from the ground into the
air and emits radiation called alpha particles, also called "radon
daughters." These particles are electrically charged and attach to
aerosols, dust, smoke and other particles in the air we breathe. As
a result, radon progeny may be deposited on the cells lining the
airways, where alpha particles can damage the DNA and cause lung
cancer. --International Radon Project, June 22, 2005, conducted by
the World Health Organization
4. A level of 4 picocuries per liter of air has been
identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as the level at
which remedial action should be taken. --American Lung Association
(Even at that, 4 pCi/L is equal to 100 X-rays.)
5. Studies by the Illinois Department of Nuclear
Safety found that 46 percent of the homes that were tested in Monroe
County and 14 percent of the homes in Randolph County had indoor
radon levels of 4 pCi/L or greater. --IDNS
6. Bill Norman, an Illinois licensed radon
measurement professional, says that the test data shows that
slightly over 50 percent of the homes tested in St. Clair and Monroe
County showed radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or more -- the level at
which the problem needs to be fixed. --Bill Norman, Columbia, Ill.
7. The national indoor average is 1.3; the national
outdoor average is 0.4. --Bill Norman, Columbia, Ill.
8. Testing is the only way to determine the radon
level in your home. --EPA
9. Inhaling indoor air containing radon over a
period of years can increase your risk of getting lung cancer. If
you are a smoker or a former smoker, the risk of getting lung cancer
from radon is even greater -- up to 25 percent greater. --EPA
10. On Jan. 13, 2005, U.S. Surgeon General Richard
H. Carniona warned the American public about the risks of breathing
indoor radon, by issuing a national health advisory. "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 country," Carmona said. "It's
important to know that this threat is completely preventable. Radon
gas can be detected with a simple test and fixed through
well-established venting techniques." --www.surgeongeneral.gov/
pressreleases/sg01132005.html
11. A national public service announcement that was
released to television stations across America in January, which was
National Radon Action Month, is reinforcing this recently updated
health advisory. In the television spot, the camera scans a
neighborhood with rooftop banners that remind the occupants of the
importance of testing their homes for radon. The television
announcement can be viewed at
www.epa.gov/radon/rnpsa.html
12. Americans spend between 85 percent and 95
percent of their time indoors. --www.surgeongeneral.gov/
pressreleases/sg01132005.html
13. It is possible for one home to have elevated
levels of radon while a neighboring home does not. Testing is the
only way to determine levels of radon in a structure. --American
Lung Association
14. We now have direct evidence that prolonged
residential radon is one of our leading public health risks and a
major cause of cancer. The challenge now is to use this information
so that a fire can be lit within people to test and mitigate as well
as to promote radon-resistant new construction. Radon is a major
environmental carcinogen. --Dr. Bill Field, Department of
Occupational and Environmental Health, Department of Epidemiology,
College of Public Health, University of Iowa
15. "The North American and European pooling
provides unambiguous and direct evidence of an increased lung cancer
risk even at residential radon exposure levels below the U.S. EPA
action level." --Results from the largest radon studies ever
conducted in North America and Europe; Dr. Bill Field, participating
in the World Health Organization
16. Rod R Blagojevich, governor of the state of
Illinois, proclaimed January 2006 as Radon Action Month in Illinois.
He urges all the citizens of our state to test their homes for radon
and reduce their risk of developing lung cancer by taking corrective
actions when necessary.
[to top of second column] |
 17. From the natural breakdown of uranium comes
radium. A radioactive gas called radon is emitted from radium, which
is passed up through the soil. This gas, in its original form, is
inert -- it can be breathed in and out again with no harmful
effects. However, within 30 minutes of the formation of this gas,
its natural decay process begins, forming radioactive particles,
commonly called "the daughters of radon." The "daughters" are
breathed into the lungs; they lodge themselves in the walls of the
lungs; and, because of their natural radioactivity, begin to emit
bursts of radiation that can destroy cells in the lungs. --Alpha
Energy Labs, BRK Brands Inc. First Alert
18. Inhaling indoor air containing radon over a
period of years can increase your risk of getting lung cancer. Your
chance of getting lung cancer from radon depends on how much radon
is in your home and how much time you spend in your home. If you are
a smoker or a former smoker, the risk of getting lung cancer from
radon is even greater. --The Environmental Law Institute, EPA
19. Dateline: Washington, D.C., March 29, 2006
-- A milestone was reached last night as the first-ever bicameral,
bipartisan legislation was introduced in Congress declaring lung
cancer a major national public health priority and calling for a 50
percent reduction in mortality within nine years. --Lung Cancer
Alliance
20. Sen. Clinton noted that lung cancer is killing
nearly twice as many women as breast cancer, with a disturbing
increase of lung cancer in nonsmoking women. --Lung Cancer Alliance
21. There is only a 15 percent five-year survival
rate with lung cancer. --Lung Cancer Alliance
22. Based on a National Academy of Science report,
EPA estimates that radon in drinking water causes about 168 cancer
deaths per year: 89 percent from lung cancer caused by breathing
radon released to the indoor air from water and 11 percent from
stomach cancer caused by consuming water containing radon. Because
radon in indoor air is the larger health concern, EPA recommends
that you first test the air in your home for radon before testing
for radon in your drinking water. Radon gas can enter the home
through well water. It can be released into the air you breathe when
water is used for showering and other household uses. Research
suggests that swallowing water with high radon levels may pose
risks, too, although risks from swallowing water containing radon
are believed to be much lower than those from breathing air
containing radon. --The National Safety Council, Washington, D.C.
23. Radon is estimated to cause more deaths due to
lung cancer than drunk drivers or falls in the home or drownings or
home fires. --EPA
24. If 1,000 people who ever smoked were exposed to
20 pCi/L over numerous years, about 260 people could get lung
cancer. --EPA
25. Two University of Iowa researchers ware part of
a large multi-center study that provides compelling direct evidence
of an association between prolonged residential radon exposure and
lung cancer risk. The study, an analysis of data pooled from seven
different North American residential radon studies, demonstrates an
11 percent to 21 percent increased lung cancer risk at average
resident radon concentrations of approximately 3.0 pCi/L of air
during an exposure period of five to 30 years. The lung cancer risk
increased with increasing radon exposure. The U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency's current action level for residential radon is
4.0 pCi/L. --University of Iowa Health Care
26. Studies show that Illinois residents are aware
of radon but often have an inaccurate understanding of the immediacy
of the radon health hazard in their home. The northern half of
Illinois is considered by the EPA to have a greater potential for
high levels of radon concentrations than the lower portion of the
state. Still, high radon levels have been discovered in every county
of the state. --University of Illinois Extension
27. You can purchase a test kit at the hardware
store or order a free one from the state. In Illinois, call Pat
Daniels, 217-782-1325 or e-mail
daniels@iema.state.il.us.
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
Radon Program
1035 Outer Park Drive
Springfield, IL 62704
1-800-325-1245
28. Currently, lung cancer is under-funded and
under-researched. Only $1,829 is spent per lung cancer death, the
least amount of cancer research dollars per death for the nation's
leading cancer killer. By comparison, breast cancer research
receives $23,474 per estimated death, and prostate cancer receives
$14,389. --Lung Cancer Alliance
29. Lung cancer kills more people than prostate,
colon and breast cancer combined.
[Compiled by
Gloria Linnertz, April 8, 2006] |
