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Environmental Health topics:
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Test your home for radonThe second leading cause of lung cancer in U.S.The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a major effort to inform Americans about the dangers of radon exposure and the need to identify and fix radon problems in their homes. In conjunction with National Radon Action Month, MDH and its partners are conducting radon awareness events and testing throughout the state. National Radon Action Month kicked off in January with a presidential message from the White House asking Americans to take preventive action on this health risk. Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless gas that is harmlessly dispersed in outdoor air, but when trapped in buildings, can be harmful at elevated levels. It is present in elevated levels in about 35 percent of Minnesota homes, which compares with only 7 percent of homes nationally. Major studies have indicated that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans. "The science on radon has been formidable over the years, but never before have we had such overwhelming scientific consensus and robust data to support earlier findings about the harmful effects of radon exposure," said Dale Dorschner, MDH indoor air unit supervisor. A National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report in February 1998 confirmed that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., causing between 15,000 and 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year. "However," Dorschner said, "because you can't see or smell radon, people tend to minimize the health effects and ignore the possibility that it might exist in elevated levels in their homes." Using simple, inexpensive kits, homeowners can test for the presence of radon in their homes and, if it is present, take steps to fix the problem. Radon test kits that meet EPA guidelines are available at city and county health departments, hardware stores, home improvement stores, other retail outlets, or directly from a laboratory. Many are priced under $20. Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors, at a cost similar to that of many common home repairs such as painting or having a new water heater installed (anywhere from $500 to about $2,500). "Radon is a serious public health hazard," Dorschner said, "but it has a straightforward solution: Test your home and take action, if necessary, to keep radon out." For more information on radon, radon testing, and radon mitigation, call MDH at 651-215-0909 or 800-798-9050 or visit the MDH radon Web site
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