Logan County Department of Public Health
Logan County zoned for high potential for radon  unsafe levels
January is Radon Awareness Month

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[January 11, 2020] 

According to the US EPA, Radon is second only to smoking in causing lung cancer in the United States and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. An estimated 1,200 people in Illinois develop radon-related lung cancer each year. “Radon related health risks are preventable,” said Alicia Tate-Nadeau, Acting Director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA). “Radon can be detected with a simple test and mitigated through well-established techniques. With greater awareness we can save lives.”

Cold weather might put a damper on outdoor activities, but according to IEMA, it is a great time to test your home for cancer-causing radon gas that has been found in nearly 40 percent of Illinois homes tested. IEMA is encouraging people to test for radon during Radon Action Month in January.

Logan County (and much of Illinois) is rated as zone 1 meaning that Logan County is in a zone of highest potential for radon to be found at unsafe levels.

Regardless of which zone a home is located, any home has the potential to contain unsafe levels of radon.

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Because your neighbor's home was tested and is considered to have safe levels of radon doesn't mean your home will be safe.

Studies have shown that Logan County has a high potential for homes to test above the US EPA action level. Test kits can be purchased at most local hardware stores.

For more information you can visit:

IDPH - http://www.dph.illinois.gov/
topics-services/environmental-health-protection/toxicology/indoor-air-quality-healthy-homes/radon-faqs

IEMA - https://www2.illinois.gov/iema/NRS/
Radon/
Pages/default.aspx

IEPA Radon Zone Map - https://www. epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/ documents/illinois.pdf

Information Sources: Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois EPA, Illinois Department of Public Health

[Don Cavi, MS, LEHP
Public Health Administrator
Logan County Department of Public Health]

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