ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SERVICES |
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PUBLIC HEALTH RADON CAMPAIGN Public Health, Delta and Menominee Counties, is aligned with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in a campaign to educate the community about the dangers of radon exposure. The goal of this campaign is to provide education about radon and to motivate citizens to test their homes and protect themselves from radon health effects. Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that originates from deposits of uranium in soil, rock, and water. It is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, radon can be harmful, especially at elevated levels. Radon gas moves through the soil and finds its way into a home through cracks in the foundation and openings around pumps, pipes and drains. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon is expected to be present in elevated levels in approximately 7 and 5 percent of Delta and Menominee County homes, respectively. However, radon levels can vary considerably from one house to the next. The presence of radon cannot be known by looking at the soil type, age of the house or neighboring concentrations. The only way to know if radon exists in elevated levels in your home is to test. Testing your home is simple and inexpensive. Radon kits are available from Public Health for $16 or at many hardware stores. If a radon problem is discovered, repair is usually very straightforward. Many families find they can reduce radon levels by making minor repairs such as caulking cracks or increasing ventilation. Technical guidance documents and a list of qualified contractors specializing in radon mitigation is available at Public Health. For more information on radon, contact Public Health at (906) 786-9692 in Escanaba or (906) 863-4451 in Menominee. To buy a radon kit at Public Health, stop in at the Escanaba or Menominee office. |