SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc.

CanSAR Member Gail Orcutt is Making a Difference and Saving Lives in Iowa with Radon Policy | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2012-01-15T07:37:00.000-06:00

Thank you Gail for your efforts in making a difference.

CanSAR Member Gail Orcutt is Making a Difference and Saving Lives in Iowa with Radon Policy | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc .Receives Grant

2012-01-14T17:39:00.000-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc has received a State Indoor Radon Grant - SIRG - from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program and United States EPA.

The grant will allow the task force to participate in various outreach events and provide information pertaining to the health risk of living with elevated radon levels.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. In Illinois, nearly 40% of the houses have radon levels that are above the action level of 4.0 pCi/L. It is estimated that nearly 1200 deaths in Illinois occur annually as the result of radon induced lung cancer.

The risk of radon induced lung cancer can be reduced by conducting a simple home test and taking action to reduce elevated radon levels.

Retired Representative Dan Reitz Honored

2012-01-14T17:20:00.002-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 2012
Radon Professionals, Health Officials in Springfield Thursday for IEMA Radon Networking Day
Former State Rep. Dan Reitz Recognized for Supporting Radon Legislation

SPRINGFIELD – Public health officials, contractors, extension educators and others who deal with radon public education, measurement or reduction are in Springfield Thursday for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s (IEMA) 9th Annual Radon Networking Day. The day-long event offers presentations on research into the radioactive gas found in nearly 40 percent of Illinois homes, as well as discussions on how to increase public awareness of radon hazards.
During the conference IEMA will recognize retired state Representative Dan Reitz as the recipient of the Illinois Excellence in Radon Award for his support of radon legislation. As a member of the Illinois General Assembly, Reitz, of Steeleville, sponsored several key radon legislative initiatives, including the Radon Awareness Act, which requires home sellers to provide buyers with information about radon hazards. Reitz also sponsored amendments to the Radon Industry Licensing Act and a law that encourages radon testing in all school buildings.
“Thanks to the efforts of Rep. Reitz, more people are aware of the health risks associated with radon and are testing their homes,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “It’s estimated that nearly 1,200 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur each year in Illinois. We’re working to reduce that number, and the laws sponsored by Rep. Reitz are helping us with that mission.”
Recipients of the Excellence in Radon Award are selected from nominations submitted to IEMA’s radon program. The five past recipients of the award reviewed nominations submitted this year and voted to award the honor to Reitz.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from naturally occurring radium in soil. Data collected by IEMA indicates that nearly 40 percent of homes tested in Illinois have levels about 4 picocuries per liter of air, the level at which the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends corrective action. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the nation. However, for non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer.
More information about radon, including lists of measurement and mitigation professionals, is available on IEMA’s radon website (www.radon.illinois.gov) or by calling the Radon Hotline at 1-800-325-1245.

Illinois Tenants Radon Bill

2012-01-06T13:05:00.000-06:00

There seems to be some confusion about the Tenants Radon Bill that was effective January 1, 2012. Following is the press release that was issued by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency regarding the new law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 29, 2011

New Law to Help Renters Learn More About Radon Levels in Their Homes
Radon is Second-Leading Cause of Lung Cancer

SPRINGFIELD – A new law set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2012, will help people who rent apartments, condominiums or houses access information about radon levels in their homes. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s (IEMA) radon program is offering guidance to help renters better understand radon hazards and their rights under this new law.

“About one-third of all housing in Illinois is rented,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “This new law will help renters find out if their landlords have already tested for radon and, if so, what levels were detected. For units where no testing has been done, we hope more renters will be proactive and get their homes tested. Radon is one health risk that can be easily reduced. Testing your home is the important first step.”

Public Act 97-0021, which was approved by the Illinois General Assembly this spring and signed by Gov. Quinn on June 28, 2011, requires owners of rental units to inform renters in writing before a lease is signed if the rental space has been tested for radon and that a radon hazard may exist.

If the rental unit hasn’t been tested, a renter can conduct a do-it-yourself radon test or ask the owner to test by hiring a licensed radon contractor. If a renter conducts a radon test in the rental unit and results show high radon levels, the renter should inform the building owner in writing.

IEMA recommends that all rental units below the third floor be tested for radon.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that comes from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., and the leading cause among non-smokers. It’s estimated that nearly 1,200 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur each year in Illinois.

The USEPA has established 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) as the action level for radon. It is estimated that the risk of developing lung cancer at that level is about seven lung cancer deaths per 1,000 persons. The USEPA and IEMA recommend taking steps to reduce radon levels if test results indicate levels of 4.0 pCi/L or above.

High radon levels can be reduced with a properly-installed radon reduction system. If mitigation measures are necessary, the building owner should hire an IEMA-licensed radon contractor to perform the work.

IEMA has developed a brochure, Radon Guide for Tenants, to provide renters with more information about radon and how they can learn more about the levels of radon in their homes. The guide and additional information about radon hazards, testing and lists of licensed radon measurement and mitigation contractors can be found at www.radon.Illinois.gov. Information is also available by call 217-782-1325.

2012 Task Force PSA

2012-01-06T12:53:00.000-06:00

The following PSA was prepared by WSIL TV 3 and Eric Black, Owner of the Medicine Shoppe in Mt Vernon, IL. Thank you both very much.

Radon induced lung cancer is a manageable health risk. Test your home.

TEST.. FIX..SAVE A LIFE

AARST Call to Action

2012-01-04T16:33:00.000-06:00

AARST is very concerned about the impacts that potential budget cuts at the Federal level may have on lung cancer risk reduction. The link to the Call to Action that was issued on January 4, 2012 follows.

It is imperative that everyone in the radon industry become involved in this effort! Lives are at stake!!!

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Radon-Program-Cuts-on-the-Horizon.html?soid=1101663643525&aid=-5sU23TSUUI

National Radon Action Month

2012-01-03T14:41:00.000-06:00

January is National Radon Action Month

January is National Radon Action Month. The Environmental Protection Agency as well as Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program officials are urging citizens to test their homes to reduce exposure to this gas.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that can build up in homes and cause lung cancer. According to data from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, 36% of houses statewide in Illinois have radon levels above the EPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L of air. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. Every year, radon-induced lung cancer kills more people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving, falls in the home, drowning or home fires. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure.

Since radon cannot be smelled, seen, or tasted, the only way to know the radon level in any particular home is to test for it. Calvin Murphy with the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force says “since homes are closed up for the winter, January is an excellent time to conduct a radon test. By taking action to reduce elevated radon levels, the risk of contracting radon induced lung cancer is reduced for all occupants if the house.” Radon test kits are available on line by clicking in the order radon test kit tab of the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force website www.silradon.org.

Testing for this silent killer is easy and inexpensive. Elevated radon levels can be fixed for the same cost as many ongoing home maintenance items.

For more information about radon, please visit the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force website www.silradon.org.

Call to Action Luncheon Meeting - Washington DC - December 9, 2011 Resource Bank Link | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2011-12-11T16:23:00.000-06:00

Call to Action Luncheon Meeting - Washington DC - December 9, 2011 Resource Bank Link | Radon Leaders Saving Liveshttp://www.radonleaders.org/node/13406?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+radonleaders+%28RadonLeaders.org%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher

Information about December 9, 2011 American Radon Policy Coalition meeting in Washington DC.

Call to Action To Reduce Lung Cancer from Radon in American Homes
December 9, 2011Meeting
National Center for Healthy Housing
Washington, D.C.
Link to Meeting Resource Materials
Stakeholders in healthy affordable housing have a prime opportunity to ensure our homes do not expose occupants to radon, a widespread and deadly carcinogen. Managing radon risk is a key component of ensuring a healthy home.
Radon causes over 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year and is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
The first-ever U.S. Federal Action Plan, Protecting People and Families from Radon, released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in June 2011, aims to reduce loss of life due to elevated radon in houses, apartments, child care facilities, schools, and offices by mitigating 10 million U.S. homes with elevated radon. The plan represents the commitment of 9 federal agencies to do work already within their authority that can have a measurable impact on health. When implemented, the plan will save 6,500 lives from radon-related lung cancer each year. Fulfilling the plan will require actions by Federal agencies, allied public and private sector organizations, community-based non-profit organizations and the U.S. housing sector.
The new federal plan outlines new, bolder action including radon testing and mitigation of publicly assisted housing, loans and grants to fund radon mitigation in homes of low-income families, and efforts to facilitate the deductibility of radon testing and mitigation costs. It promises the means to save lives from a deadly carcinogen. The plan’s objectives will not be accomplished without key public and private leadership.
The members of this coalition are committed to reducing radon exposure to prevent lung cancer and save lives, by stimulating synergies among advocates, public sector programs, property owners, industry, and others to apply well-documented cost-effective interventions to the nation’s highest risk real estate assets. We support the following six strategies:
• The Federal Action Plan - as the basic foundation for nation-wide progress;
• Adoption of radon resistant construction requirements for Zones 1 and 2 in all building-related codes and standards(models, national policy, state laws, and local ordinances);
• Policies and programs that provide for testing and mitigation of existing single and multi-family housing in conjunction with real estate transactions, retrofits, renovations, and refinancing;
• Financing resources for mitigation of urban, suburban and rural housing;
• Radon education to promote primary prevention of radon exposure; and
• Ensure appropriate funding and legislation for radon risk reduction policies, standards and programs.
Organizing Committee includes:
Janice Nolen, American Lung Association (ALA)
Calvin Murphy, American Association of Radon Scientists & Technologists (AARST)
Ruth McBurney, Conference of Radiation Program Control Directors (CRCPD)
Gloria Linnertz, Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CANSAR)
Jane Malone, National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH)
Larry Marcum, National Environmental Health Association (NEHA)

A Fully Funded Radon Program in EPA is a Must | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2011-12-03T09:12:00.001-06:00

Gloria Linnertz call upon EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson for a fully funded radon program at EPA.

A Fully Funded Radon Program in EPA is a Must | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

December 8, 2011
Lisa Jackson, Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
Ariel Rios Building
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20460
Dear Administrator Jackson:
My husband died of radon-induced lung cancer. Neither he nor I was aware of radon until our doctor told us about it and suggested we test our home. The test came back with a high level of radon.
An American dies every 25 minutes from lung cancer caused by exposure to radon in homes, schools, and workplaces. With eight to ten million U.S. homes existing with elevated levels of radon gas, the Environmental Protection Agency needs this vital radon program which is helping to save human lives. I am deeply disturbed that the EPA’s budget for 2013 will be reducing funding for reduction of radon risk in the United States.
The Radon Division of the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air Quality is the most cost- effective, voluntary environmental risk reduction program in the country.
Because our society is ignorant of the danger of a gas that cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted—myself included until after my husband died with lung cancer and I discovered we had been living with elevated levels of this silent killer for 18 years--no one seems to care except those of us who have been robbed of our loved ones and our lives. We have a government to provide protection for our citizens—not just on the battlefields but in our own homes.
The cost of lung cancer treatment is approximately $700,000 per patient, and there is only a 15 percent five-year survival rate. In contrast, the typical home can have a radon mitigation system installed for $1,500-$2,000. EPA’s draft budget for 2013 would virtually eliminate all regional and headquarters radon staffing and state program grants. EPA is walking away from radon risk reduction, its moral duty, and its legal obligation to the public.
The ball is in your court, Ms. Jackson. Take control of it to ensure the continued existence of a fully funded Radon Program in EPA and to protect our citizens against this silent radioactive killer. You can make the difference. In 1988, a federal law was passed–the Indoor Radon Abatement Act—which stated that our government would protect the citizens from radon gas with state radon programs providing education and awareness. Please respond to me personally with your action to support this critical lifesaving program.
Sincerely yours,
Gloria Linnertz
V.P. Cancer Survivors Against Radon
618 Evansville Ave.
Waterloo, IL
www.cansar.org
seascape@htc.net
618 830 4660

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-26T16:08:00.001-05:00

The National Cancer Institute website http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/lung,estimates that in 2011, there will be 221,130 new lung cancer cases and 156,940lung cancer deaths.

Although smoking is the major cause of lung cancer, 10 to15% of those diagnosed with lung cancer have never smoked.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. Radon is an odorless,colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is the by product of theuranium/radium decay cycle. Radon movesthrough the soil and either finds its way into the atmosphere where it isdiluted or finds its way into buildings where it can build up and create healthissues. The US EPA estimates that radoninduced lung cancer claims 20,000 lives annually.

Being odorless, colorless, and tasteless, the only way toknow the radon level in a building is to conduct a radon test. Tests are easy to conduct and elevated radon levelscan be reduced. When elevated radonlevels are reduced, everyone that lives or works in the structure encounters areduced risk of contracting radon induced lung cancer.

Radon test kits are available though the SIL Radon AwarenessTask Force, Inc website www.silradon.org.

Test Fix Save a Life

2013 Illinois Radon Poster Information

2011-09-24T16:49:00.000-05:00

The following information has been received pertaining to the 2013 Illinois Radon Poster Contest.

To: Science, art, and health teachers, afterschool programs & youth groups -- students ages 9 -14

Opportunity for students - Radon Poster Contest

TheIllinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program along with the American LungAssociation of Illinois, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago,SouthernIllinois Radon Awareness Task Force, and Ecology Action Center, are sponsoring anIllinois Radon Poster Contest. Winning posters will be sent to the National Radon Poster Contest sponsoredby Kansas State University and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Radonis a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that can cause lungcancer. Fifty percent of Illinoiscounties are at a high risk. By participating in this activity, students willlearn about radon and how to reduce their risk of exposure.

Forposters from Illinoisto be considered at the national level, follow these steps:

1. Posters are due on or before March 1, 2012 to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency RadonProgram, 1035 Outer Park Dr., Springfield, IL 62704. Send posters to the attention of CindyLadage. Posters should be received alongwith the attached required Entry Formand Artwork Submission Form. Students MUST NOT put their names on the front of the poster; or posters areineligible.

2. Radoninformation is available from the American Lung Association of Illinois’ website:http://www.healthhouse.org/radon/il_poster.cfm

3. A statecommittee will select three winning posters from throughout Illinois that will be entered in the NationalRadon Poster Contest. State winners willreceive the following cash awards: first place winner will receive $200, thesecond place winner, $150 and the third place winner, $100. National winners will receive award plaquesand gift cards in the amount of $1000 for first place, $600 for second, $400for third, and $400 for special online voting recognition. The National winning’poster will be reproduced and distributed nationally to promote radonawareness.

4. There will betwo drawings for awards: one for classroom teachers and one for home schoolteachers and youth group leaders. The winning classroom teacher will receive$100 for supplies and the winning homeschool teacher or youth group leader withreceive $50 for supplies. Submit theentry form on the next page to be eligible to win this prize.

5. See the backof this letter for the Poster Guidelines.

Ifyou have questions about the radon poster contest, please contact Cindy Ladageat 217-785-9889 or cindy.ladage@illinois.gov.

PosterGuidelines

For the radon poster topic,choose from the following five topics:

· What is radon?

· Where does radon comefrom?

· How does radon getinto our homes

· Radon can cause lungcancer

· Test your home forradon

Judging criteria:

· Content accuracy

· Visual communicationof topic

· Reproducibility

· Originality

Artwork Requirements:

· Be original

· Must not havestudent’s name of the front

· Topic and title mustbe on the ArtworkSubmission Form

· White paper - 12 x 18and 8.5 x 11 sizes are preferred, but all submission sizes will be accepted(preferred size eases reproducibility)

· Can be created withcrayon, markers, paint (watercolor, tempera, acrylic), collage, photographs orcomputer graphics

· Lettering and messageshould be large enough to reproduce well, with all pencil markings erased

· Copyrighted characters(such as Snoopy), product logos and trademarked or brand names cannot be used

Information aboutradon can be found on the IEMA website at www.radon.illinois.gov. There is a power point presentation that has been compiled to aide youin teaching your students about radon gas. The intention of these slides is notto be used as one large presentation but for you to pick and choose which onesyou would like to use when helping educate your students about the risks ofradon gas. This information can be helpful for teachers conveying the risks ofradon to students entering the radon video or radon poster contest. Check outthe rest of our website for more information about radon.

Radon Poster Contest

Entry Form

Please submit this form along withthe radon posters from your school.

Entriesare due on or before March 1, 2012

Mail to: IEMA

Attn:Cindy Ladage

1035Outer Park Drive

Springfield, IL 62704

Name of School or Youth Group: ______________________________________________________________________

Schoolor Youth Group Contact: _______________________________________________________________________

(Name)

_______________________________________________________________________

(Title)

Address: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

County: __________________________________________________________________________________________________

Phone number: _________________________________________________________________________________________

Number of radon posters created in your class/youthgroup: _____________________________________

Number of students in your class/youth group: _____________________________________________________

This page is required in order to beentered into the drawings for the $50 and $100 prizes. Any questions, contactCindy Ladage at 217-785-9889 or cindy.ladage@illinois.gov.

CHECKLIST:

ü Each poster has an Artwork Submission Form completed, and attached to back of poster.

ü The student’s name and other personal identification is not on the front of the poster.

Artwork Submission Form – 2013 Children’sRadon Poster Contest

Important Note to Teachers: Please fill in (type or print) therequested information under the Teacher and Newspaper sections before makingcopies of this form for your students. Please ask your students to clearlyprint their information.

Teacher Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________Phone _________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________City _________________________________ State ______________ Zip________________________

Email________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please check if appropriate: ¨ School ¨ After School program ¨ Youth Group /Club ¨ Home School

Student Name_______________________________________________________Grade _______________ Age ________ Phone _________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________City ________________________________ State ______________ Zip_________________________

Title ofArtwork____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Newspaper Name_______________________________________________________________________________________Phone _________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________City _________________________________ State ______________ Zip ________________________

Email________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paper guidelines - 12 x 18 and 8.5 x 11 sizes are preferred, but allsubmission sizes will be accepted

Check your topic: ¨ What is radon? ¨ Where does radon come from? ¨ How does radon get into our homes? ¨ Radon can cause lung cancer ¨ Test your home for radon ¨ Other radon messages

Pleasetape this form to the back of each poster. If you have any questions,please e-mail cindy.ladage@illinois.gov, or call 217-785-9889 or1-800-325-1245. Entries making it to theNational Radon Poster Contest will require a Release Form which will be sentout by Kansas State University.

Plan EJ 2014 | Environmental Justice | Compliance and Enforcement | US EPA

2011-09-14T16:11:00.000-05:00

US EPA has released Plan EJ 2014.

The press release states that “Today’s release of Plan EJ 2014 underscores Administrator Jackson's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all communities have access to clean air, water and land, and that all Americans have a voice in this environmental conversation.”

Clean air by defination should include air that is not polluted with radon gas.

The plan can be reviewed at http://www.epa.gov/compliance/ej/plan-ej/.

More Than Half of Americans Are Unaware Lung Cancer is the Leading Cause of Cancer Deaths (i) - MarketWatch

2011-09-07T15:28:00.002-05:00

Lung Cancer News Release.

More Than Half of Americans Are Unaware Lung Cancer is the Leading Cause of Cancer Deaths (i) - MarketWatch

2011 International Radon Symposium - Disney World Opportunity

2011-08-19T08:18:00.000-05:00

Registration is now open for the 2011 International Radon Symposium.

The symposium will be held October 16 - 19, 2011 at the Hilton Disney World, Orlando, Florida.

Additional information and registration is available at http://internationalradonsymposium.org/

This is a excellent opportunity to learn about the health risks of living with elevated radon levels and at the same time to visit Disney World and take advantage of the other Orlando opportunities.

Radon Medical Forum

2011-08-13T10:40:00.000-05:00

Information about the radon medical forum being held October 13, 2011 at SIUE - Morris University Center in Edwardsville, IL.

Illinois Tenants Radon Protection Summary

2011-08-04T07:12:00.005-05:00

Thank you Naheed Amdana, Chicago area attorney, for providing a summary of the Illinois Tenants Radon Protection Law on your blog.

The summary of the bill follows.

www.amdanilaw.com/2011/08/new-tenants-radon-protection-act.html

Thank you for this summary of the bill.

Illinois Public Health Association Radon Testing Resolution

2011-07-14T08:46:00.005-05:00

The Illinois Public Health Association recently passed the following resolution regarding radon testing in day care facilities.

Thank you.

Federal Radon Action Plan

2011-06-27T06:29:00.004-05:00

The following information is from the USEPA website regarding the Federal Radon Action Plan.

"Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and an important national public health issue. In response to this threat, leaders from agencies across the federal government have come together to develop a Federal Radon Action Plan. This Action Plan represents an historic interagency cooperation with the potential to reduce exposure to radon, including for people and families that do not have the resources to make the simple fixes necessary to protect their loved ones. The federal commitment made by EPA, General Services Administration and the Departments of Agriculture; Defense; Energy; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; Interior; and Veterans Affairs will help focus efforts on radon reduction and mitigation in homes, schools and daycare facilities , as well as radon-resistant new construction. The Action Plan was announced by senior leaders from partner agencies at the National Healthy Homes Conference held June 20 to 23, 2011, in Denver, Colo.

For the first time, all interagency collaboration on radon has been brought under one-strategic approach. The Action Plan contains both an array of current federal government actions to reduce radon risks, and a series of new commitments for future action. To address the current reality of barriers to radon risk reduction, the actions implemented through this effort will:

•Demonstrate the importance, feasibility and value of radon testing and mitigation.
•Provide policy, administrative, and economic incentives to encourage those who have sufficient resources to test and mitigate, and provide direct support to reduce the risk for those who lack sufficient resources.
•Build demand for services from the professional, nationwide radon services industry."

The Federal Radon Action Plan is available at http://www.radonplan.us/.

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc is an active participant with the National Radon Policy Coalition. Please contact the task force at info@silradon.org with any questions.

Radon Mitigation Financing Option

2011-06-14T17:47:00.003-05:00

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency issued the following press release on June 14, 2011 regarding financing radon mitigation systems through a USDA loan program.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 14, 2011

USDA Loans, Grants Can Defray Cost for Radon Mitigation in Rural Low-Income Homes
IEMA Encourages People to See If They Qualify

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) strongly encourages everyone in Illinois to test their home for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas known to cause lung cancer. Thousands of people have tested their homes, and nearly 40 percent were found to have high levels of radon. Those levels can be reduced by installing a radon mitigation system for around $800-1,200. But for people with fixed or lower incomes the cost may prevent them from fixing the problem.

In rural areas of Illinois, one solution to that problem may be a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) home repair loan or grant. To qualify for a Rural Development repair loan, a qualified homeowner must live in or around a community of less than 20,000 residents. The home repair loans have a low interest rate of one percent and may be paid over 20 years. In addition, home repair grants may be available for homeowners 62 years of age or older that meet the low income guidelines.

“These loans and grants could help many people in rural Illinois reduce the radon hazard in their homes,” said IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. “I encourage people who may qualify for this program to contact USDA and get more information.”

Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless gas that comes from the radioactive decay of naturally-occurring uranium in the soil. It can enter homes and buildings through small cracks in the foundation, sump pumps or soil in crawlspaces. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has determined that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, behind smoking. However, among non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer.

USEPA recommends reducing radon concentrations at or above 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). A radon mitigation system should be installed by a professional radon contractor licensed by IEMA. A list of licensed contractors and more information about radon in Illinois is available at www.Radon.Illinois.gov or by calling the Radon Hotline at (800) 325-1245.

To learn more about the home repair loans and grants, visit the Rural Development website at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/IL_ContactUS.html or call 217-403-6202.

Congratulations to Dylan - Southern Region Third Place Winner

2011-05-11T15:41:00.000-05:00

Dylan is presented with a certificate recognizing him as third place winner in the Illinois Extension Service Southern Region.

Congratulations.

Congratulations O'Fallon High School

2011-05-02T17:00:00.005-05:00

Congratulations to the team from O'Fallon High School that submitted the video entitled Silent Killer in the 2011 Illinois Radon Video Contest. The video was the winner in the Illinois Extension Service Southern Region and won the school an IPad from the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc. The video also won third place in the State of Illinois. The Silent Killer video can be viewed here.

Test, Fix, Save a Life. Radon Risk Reduction Should Begin at Birth.

Glenwood wins for radon video

2011-04-30T08:09:00.013-05:00

Congratulations to Glenwood High School for entering the winning video in the 2011 Radon Video Contest.

The top three videos can be viewed on the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon website http://www.radon.illinois.gov

April 13 Lung Cancer Research Call-in Day to Congress | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2011-04-10T08:08:00.000-05:00

Please take a minute on April 13 to contact both your Senator and Representative about this terribly important issue.

April 13 Lung Cancer Research Call-in Day to Congress | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

Illinois House Passes HB 141 Unanimously...On to Senate

2011-03-30T16:53:00.007-05:00

IL House Bill 141 passed through the House unanimously today. This bill provides that if a tenant notifies the landlord in writing that a radon test indicated high levels of radon in the dwelling, the landlord must notify the next tenant unless a subsequent test after mitigation has proven otherwise. This bill does not mandate mitigation, however.

Thank you Representative Dan Reitz and all IL House Representatives!

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?GAID=11&GA=97&DocNum=141&DocTypeID=HB&SessionID=84&LegID=54704&SpecSess=&Session=

SIL Radon Awareness Task Force Receives Mini Grant

2011-03-08T18:25:00.002-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc received a $500.00 mini grant from the Midwest Chapter of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists - AARST - at the chapter's spring meeting held at the Homewood Suites in Orland Park, IL March 4 and 5, 2011.

Shown is Preston Rea, President of the Midwest Chapter AARST presenting the check to Calvin Murphy, Treasurer of the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc.

The mini grant will assist the task force in making the public aware that elevated radon levels in homes causes lung cancer and is a health risk that can be managed.

Extension Service Radon Awareness

2011-02-11T22:46:00.001-06:00

Thank you to the Extension Service for this Radon Awareness press release. http://web.extension.illinois.edu/whiteside/news/news20129.html

Dr. Oz Program on Radon and Lung Cancer Feb. 10

2011-01-31T11:46:00.002-06:00

The Dr. Oz show will air a program on Radon and Lung Cancer on Feb. 10.

Go to the link to find the station and time in your area.

http://www.doctoroz.com/find-station

Radon Video Contest Announced

2011-01-27T16:45:00.001-06:00

Click below to see the details of the Illinois Radon Video Contest.
http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/IEMA_American_Lung_Association_Launch_Radon_Video_Contest_for_High_School_Students_114738434.html

Taking Capital Steps to Radon Action

2011-01-19T18:28:00.002-06:00

Join Capital Steps for Radon Action in Springfield, IL at the Lincoln Statue on the State Capital grounds. Help increase Radon Awareness and hopefully help save lives. Be there at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 26 2011.

January Declared Radon Awareness Month in Salem

2011-01-04T09:52:00.003-06:00

David Parkhill talks to Salem City Council about the Radon problem in the local area.
Salem City Officials hope to use January to make area residents aware of the dangers of Radon and how it may be seeping into their homes.

The owner of Little Egypt Home Inspections David Parkhill told the city council the problem is widespread. "the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in Southern Illinois. In the homes I test, I'm a licensed professional tester, one in three are above the level which is recommended from doing mitigation," Parkhill explained.

Parkhill explained what causes Radon. "It comes from decaying uranium in the ground. As it decays, what is called half lives, it rises and comes into your home through openings in the slab or concrete floor in the basement or where waterlines or other utility lines come into the home. It's colorless, orderless and tasteless and you don't know it is there unless you test," Parkhill said.

Parkhill says Radon is mitigated by drilling holes into the floor of a basement or crawl space where a pipe is inserted. A fan is than placed on top of the pipe to draw out the Radon into the outside air instead of allowing it to get into your home.

You'll have a chance to learn more about the problem at a Lunch and Learn session sponsored by Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force at Marion County Savings Bank Annex from noon until one on January 20th. Those attending will receive a free test kit, shirt and information about reducing radon induced lung cancer risk. Seating is limited and reservations are required by calling 204-5545. Funding is provided by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Southern Illinois National Radon Awareness Month Proclamations

2010-12-31T14:08:00.003-06:00

Proclamations encouraging area residents to test for and take corrective action to reduce the health risk of living with elevated radon levels have been signed by area mayors throughout Southern Illinois.

The proclamation reads as follows:

Mayor ______________Proclamation In Support of
National Radon Action Month in ______________

WHEREAS, radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas that may threaten the health
of our citizens and their families;

WHEREAS, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S

WHEREAS, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers;

WHEREAS, the National Academy of Sciences estimates that up to 21,000 lung cancer deaths occur in the United States each year;

WHEREAS, radon is found in one in 15 homes across the U.S. have elevated radon
levels;

WHEREAS, any home in ____________may have elevated levels of radon (even if
other homes in the same neighborhood do not);

WHEREAS, testing for radon is simple and inexpensive;

WHEREAS, identified radon problems can be fixed;

WHEREAS, SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc, the U.S. Surgeon General, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Health Organization are supporting efforts to encourage homeowners to test their homes for radon, have elevated levels of radon reduced, and have new homes built with radon-resistant features.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, _________________, Mayor of _________________ do hereby proclaim:

JANUARY 2011

Official National Radon Action Month

In ________________

_________________________________

Shown is Mary Jane Chesley, Mayor of Mt Vernon, IL signing and presenting a proclamation to SIL Radon Task Force, Inc member Calvin Murphy.

NRAM Display at Brehm Library, Mt Vernon, IL.

2010-12-31T13:56:00.003-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc thanks Brehm Memorial Library in Mt Vernon, IL for providing table space to provide information to the public during National Radon Awareness Month.

Capitol Steps to Radon Action

2010-12-30T15:03:00.006-06:00

Thank you for your support! Can you help participate in our Campaign on January 26 at 12 noon on the Capitol steps in Springfield, IL increasing Radon awareness, testing, and mitigation if the level is elevated. Radon gas which is odorless, tasteless and invisible is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and second only to tobacco. In Illinois approximately 1,200 people die each year of Radon-induced lung cancer. You can help prevent this by getting the word out that Radon-induced lung cancer can largely be prevented.

DEAR FRIENDS,

CANSAR’S GOAL FOR NATIONAL RADON ACTION MONTH

• What: National kick off for “Radon Tee”—Capitol Steps to Radon Action

• When: On Wednesday January 26, 2011, organizations will gather at the invitation of the EPA in DC to discuss action to protect individuals from the silent killer—Radon gas.

On that day Radon Tee will be on the US Capitol steps—and hopefully throughout the nation—supporters will be gathered on the capitol steps of their state capital wearing or holding Reduce Radon t-shirts at 12:00 noon in all time zones.

• How: To order your t-shirt and join, contact radontee@cansar.org

http://www.cansar.org/events-3/capitol-steps-to-radon-action/

• Why: To increase Radon awareness, testing, and mitigation if the Radon level is elevated—thus saving lives by helping to prevent future Radon-induced lung cancer deaths.

Hope to meet you on the CAPITOL STEPS! I’ll be there, will you? Pictures! Newspaper Articles! Media! Legislators! Have Fun! Gather friends to show support in saving lives!

Be sure to sign up to host Radon Tee for a planned event in your state, county, city, or town during the Radon Tee World Trek 2011.

www.canSAR.org
www.facebook.com/radontee
radontee@cansar.org

Radon Awareness Week

2010-10-29T11:54:00.004-05:00

Last week was Radon Awareness Week but any week is a good time to test your home for this silent killer.

Test kits can be ordered through the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force Inc website at www.silradon.org. Click on the order test kit tab for the coupon to order a kit.

Reducing the radon level in a house with elevated radon reduces lung cancer risk for everyone living in the house.

Test. Fix. Save a life.

A message from the Members of CanSAR

2010-10-28T14:52:00.001-05:00

This digital slideshow made with Smilebox

Health Fair at Holy Trinity in Fairview Heights

2010-10-24T09:25:00.004-05:00

The week of October 17-23 was Radon Action Week. Members of the Southern IL Radon Awareness Task Force attended the International Radon Symposium in Columbus, Ohio and the Task Force also had a display at Holy Trinity's Health Fair on Saturday. Cancer Survivors Against Radon's member, Gloria Linnertz is wearing the likeness of the t-shirt "Radon TEE" that has traveled the country this year to raise radon awareness, increase radon testing and mitigation; thus saving lives by preventing future deaths due to Radon-induced lung cancer.

Radon TEE's Youngest Supporter | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2010-10-23T11:41:00.000-05:00

CanSAR's Thank you to Jacob for his involvement is reducing risk for radon induced lung cancer.

Radon TEE's Youngest Supporter | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

October 2010 is Children's Health Month

2010-09-13T13:57:00.008-05:00

October is Children's Health Month. The calendar below provides an excellant listing of activities to protect your children's health. Among the activities is a radon test of your home to be sure that your children are not exposed to that silent killer - radon gas. True radon induced lung cancer risk reduction begins at birth.

Coupons for ordering test kits are available on the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force website www.silradon.org. Click on the order test kit link.

Click on the calendar for a larger view.

True Environmental Justice Effort

2010-09-12T07:31:00.001-05:00

Click on the above link to learn about radon awareness efforts at Montana State University.

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc congratulates Laura Larsson for receiving the award from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation. This is truly an environmental justice effort.

Please keep us advised of the outcome of your efforts.

share

Radon Information, Facts & Myths - Jan McNulty Arlington Heights Real Estate, arlington heights homes for sale, mls listings, mount prospect condo, mount prospect homes for sale, mount prospect real estate, arlington heights real estate, des plain

2010-09-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

Thank you Jan McNulty of ReMax for this Radon Awareness blog post.

Radon Information, Facts & Myths - Jan McNulty Arlington Heights Real Estate, arlington heights homes for sale, mls listings, mount prospect condo, mount prospect homes for sale, mount prospect real estate, arlington heights real estate, des plain

10 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

2010-05-28T10:53:00.001-05:00

Family Circle has offered 10 ways to reduce your cancer risk. One of the suggestions is to rid your home of radon.

10 Ways to Reduce Your Cancer Risk

Consumer Reports on Safety: Presidential panel: Reduce environmental cancer risks

2010-05-28T08:01:00.004-05:00

Click on the link Consumer Reports on Safety to view the Consumer Reports blog on the recently released President's Cancer Panel report.

Among the items in the blog is advice for periodically “checking home radon levels” ... new home buyers ”should conduct a radon test in any home they are considering purchasing.”

This is a excellant recommendation. Being odorless, colorless, and tasteless, the only way to know the radon level in your house is to conduct a radon test.

Consumer Reports on Safety: Presidential panel: Reduce environmental cancer risks

May 9 Radon Tee post on Facebook

2010-05-09T07:54:00.006-05:00

A woman named Aimee posted the following on Radon Tee's Facebook page this morning.

"How can I help get involved. My husband has lung cancer (non-smoker). We did not know radon could cause this (although no one can say for sure what caused it). Our newest house had high levels (13.6 pi) and we now have mitigation sys. People in Ohio need to know levels tend to be very high!"

Following is Radon Tee's response.

"Hello Aimee, Thank you for coming to my page. You CAN help. First, so glad your home is mitigated. You can go to www.cansar.org choose the CanSar Store and order t-shirts like me. You can contact my friend, Gloria at seascape@htc.net and she will give you many ideas about how you can help prevent radon-induced lung cancer from happening to someone else. Contacting state and local govenment officials,, writing articles, and giving presentations will all help.
Thank you Aimee. I am with you in spirit."

People everywhere need to know about test their homes for radon and take action when elevated radon levels are found.

To follow the activities of Radon Tee, become a fan at www.facebook.com/radontee.

Anyone having questions about radon can contact the SIL Radon Task Force, Inc at info@silradon.org or visit our website at www.silradon.org.

Aimee, the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force wishes both you and your husband well during this terrible battle.

President's Cancer Panel Press Release

2010-05-07T16:16:00.001-05:00

Following a comprehensive assessment of environmental cancer risks, the President's Cancer Panel released a report on Thursday, May 7, Reducing Environmental Cancer Risks: What We Can Do Now, calling for new personal and policy action to reduce the risk due to radon exposures in homes, daycare facilities, schools, and workplaces.

Radon is a radioactive gas that accumulates indoors and is the leading cause of lung cancer among never smokers. The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 22,000 people die each from radon exposure in their homes. In the United States, radon concentrations are measured in units known as picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Although no exposure to radon is considered safe, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set a level of 4 pCi/L as a level where radon reduction is clearly needed.

"The President's Panel's report is an incredibly important reminder that each of us and our elected officials must do much better to reduce the terrible risk of indoor radon exposure," according to William Angell, President of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists. Angell adds the report reinforces the World Health Organization's (WHO) new radon recommendations for lower radon concentrations at which people should take action to reduce exposure.

The President's Cancer Panel calls on EPA to evaluate reducing the Agency's 4 pCi/L Threshold for Action. In late 2009, WHO called for countries to set action level at 2.7 pCi/L as well as to improve rates of radon testing and radon reduction.

The Panel urges families to periodically test their homes for radon since concentrations can change over time. Further, all home buyers are advised to test for radon in any home they may consider purchasing.

The report calls on Congress to support improved radon testing methods and provide tax deductions to encourage radon mitigation of existing homes. Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) announced on April 30 a bill she is introducing that implements many of the President's Cancer Panel's recommendations.

State and local governments were called to implement building codes to require radon control in new construction and to regularly test all schools, day care centers, and workplaces.

The National Cancer Institute report, Reducing Environmental Cancer Risks: What We Can Do Now is available at http://deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf

For further information, contact:
William J. Angell: wangell@umn.edu
612-624-6786
Peter Hendrick: director@aarst.org
603-756-9259

CBC News - Health - Tackle environmental cancers, Obama urged

2010-05-06T18:30:00.000-05:00

CBC News - Health - Tackle environmental cancers, Obama urged

Indoor Radon Exposure Abatement and Detection Act of 2010

2010-04-30T12:08:00.003-05:00

The text of the Indoor Radon Exposure Abatement and Detection Act of 2010 is available at the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists website http://www.aarst.org/images/Radon_Bill_4-28-10.pdf.

BILL INTRODUCED TO COUNTER GROWING RADON HEALTH RISK IN HOMES

2010-04-30T11:29:00.002-05:00

AARST April 30, 2010 Press Release

Dear Radon Professionals and Advocates:

Please consider forwarding the following press release to your local media.

For Release: April 30, 2010 - Noon Eastern

(Saint Paul, Minnesota)

BILL INTRODUCED TO COUNTER GROWING RADON HEALTH RISK IN HOMES

On Friday, April 30, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar announced introduction of a bill to reduce elevated radon in U.S. homes and schools. The Indoor Radon Exposure Abatement and Detection Act of 2010 is the first Congressional action to address indoor radon health risks in 15 years.

Radon is a radioactive soil gas that seeps into homes and schools and causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year. Indoor radon concentrations are the result of the way homes and schools are designed and built as well due to subtle air pressure differences between the indoors and the soil.

The number of U.S. homes with radon concentrations above the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Threshold for Action has increased over the past 20 years, according to William Angell, President of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists.

The EPA's threshold is 4 picoCurie per Liter. PicoCuries per Liter (pCi/L) is a measure of the concentration of radon. The risk of dying from lung cancer caused by indoor radon at 4 pCi/L to the general population is about one in 50.

Angell notes, based upon new health evidence, that the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended a more protective radon control limit one-third lower than the EPA's 4 pCi/L threshold. Angell has chaired the WHO's Radon Prevention and Mitigation Working Group.

Klobuchar's bill includes new Federal initiatives for certification and licensing of radon testing laboratories and professionals, testing and mitigation of radon threats in federally owned housing, school radon testing and reduction, greater radon control in new homes, notification of radon to home buyers, and research and development.

Elizabeth Hoffmann, Founder and President of Cancer Survivors Against Radon, applauded the bill and said, these actions are long overdue. Hoffmann, a never smoker, was diagnosed at 37 years of age with lung cancer that was attributed to elevated radon concentrations in her Milwaukee-area home.

For Further Information
American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists
Contact: Peter Hendrick, AARST Executive Director, director@aarst.org
603-756-9259
William Angell, AARST President, wangell@umn.edu
612-624-6786

Download Proposed Legislation and AARST Summary Analysis
Available at 1:00 PM Eastern: Go To: http://www.aarst.org

Science and Policy Reference Links:

Unscear July 21, 2009
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation
http://www.unscear.org/docs/Radon-distrib.pdf

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION RADON HAND BOOK
http://www.who.int/phe/radiation/backgrounder_radon/en/index.html

http://www.aarst.org/images/US_Highlights_WHO_Rn_Handbook.pdf
International Commission on Radiological Protection Statement on Radon
http://www.icrp.org/icrp_radon.asp

U.S. President's Health Panel
http://www.aarst.org/images/PCPanelRadonTest.pdf
Position Statement of the Health Physics Society
http://hps.org/documents/radon_position_statement_background_document.pdf

U of M professor William Angell to join U.S. Sen. Klobuchar at news conference regarding radon in homes : UMNews : University of Minnesota

2010-04-30T09:59:00.000-05:00

U of M professor William Angell to join U.S. Sen. Klobuchar at news conference regarding radon in homes : UMNews : University of Minnesota

National Radon Legislation To Be Announced

2010-04-29T16:15:00.002-05:00

FEDERAL INITIATIVE TO REDUCE RADON HEALTH RISK IN HOMES AND SCHOOLS

U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar has scheduled a Friday morning, April 30 news conference in Minneapolis to announce introduction of the Indoor Radon Exposure Abatement and Detection Act of 2010.

Radon is a radioactive gas responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year, according to William Angell, President of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists. He adds, "Radon exposure in homes and schools is the direct result of the way our homes and classrooms are designed and built."

While the U.S. radon program has made important progress, there are more homes with elevated radon than any time in our history, according to Angell.

Last September, the World Health Organization recommended that all countries improve the rate of radon testing, mitigation of existing homes, and radon control systems in new homes. WHO also called for countries to consider radon guidelines a third lower than that of the current U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 4 picoCurie/liter Threshold for Action.

The Act is expected to include new Federal initiatives for certification and licensing of radon testing laboratories and professionals, testing and mitigation of radon threats in federally owned housing, school radon testing and reduction, greater radon control in new homes, notification of radon to home buyers, and research and development.

Elizabeth Hoffmann, Founder and President of Cancer Survivors Against Radon, will join the Senator at this news conference. Hoffmann, a never smoker, was diagnosed with lung cancer that was attributed to elevated radon concentrations in her Milwaukee-area home.

Further information about:
The news conference and releases are available from Joe Campbell:
612-727-5228; Joe_Campbell@klobuchar.senate.gov
Radon information is available from:
William Angell, 612-624-6786, wangell@umn.edu
Peter Hendrick, 603-756-9259, director@aarst.org

For more information about radon, please visit the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force website www.silradon.org.

Radon TEE welcomed in Pennsylvania-- Home of Virtue, Liberty, and Independence | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2010-04-29T14:43:00.000-05:00

Radon TEE welcomed in Pennsylvania-- Home of Virtue, Liberty, and Independence | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

Congratulations Wheaton North For Winning Video Contest

2010-04-27T16:18:00.003-05:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc. congratulates Wheaton North High School for submitting the winning video in the video contest sponsored by Illinois Emergency Management Agency and American Lung Association of Illinois. You can view the video here.

Congratulations 2011 Poster Contest Winners

2010-04-24T11:46:00.007-05:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force Inc congratulates the recently announced winners of the Illinois Radon Poster Contest.

First Place
Randa Schoenbein
Alwood Middle/High School
New Windsor, IL

Second Place
Nicholas Andersen McGee
Brownstown Jr./Sr. High School
Brownstown, IL

Third Place
Mia Morgan
Our Lady of the Snows
Chicago, IL

The three posters designed by Illinois students depicting the hazards of radon gas in homes soon will be competing against posters from across the country in the 2011 National Radon Poster Contest.

Radon Tee Update

2010-03-10T14:23:00.005-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc has been watching the progress of the Radon Tee social media project. Cancer Survivers Against Radon - CanSAR - is to be commended on this program. Radon Tee, a personified tee shirt, is doing great things in the radon awareness arena.

You can learn about Radon Tee and become a fan at www.facebook.com/radontee.

Radon Tee and World Trek 2010 shirts can be ordered at the CanSAR Store tab of their website www.cansar.org.

Again, the SIL Radon Task Force, Inc commends CanSAR and Radon Tee for the current awareness campaign.

March 2010 Health Point Article

2010-02-28T07:15:00.004-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc wishes to thank Health Point magazine for the radon awareness article which appeared in the March 2010 Health Point.

By testing a house and taking action to reduce radon levels, the risk of radon induced lung cancer is reduced for everyone living in the home.

Radon Tee Story in February 12, 2010 Morning Sentinel

2010-02-17T17:18:00.003-06:00

The Morning Sentinel ran a story about Radon Tee featuring a picture of Mt Vernon Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Brandon Bullard. Thank you for the story and your support of radon awareness efforts.

Radon Tee Has Arrived in Southern Illinois

2010-02-05T15:40:00.005-06:00

There had been some concern about Radon Tee's late arrival to Southern Illinois. It was anticipated that Tee would be arriving February 1, 2010. We've discovered that Tee had made a quick side trip to attend the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools Symposium in Washington DC. You can learn about the trip to Washington DC and the activities in Kentucky during the month of January at www.facebook/radontee.

Radon Tee stopped by the Mt Vernon Chamber of Commerce and was officially welcomed to Southern Illinois in front of Mt Vernon's famous road signs by the Chamber staff.

Anyone wishing to have a presentation about the danger of living with elevated radon levels or wanting to appear in a photo on Face Book with Radon Tee should contact a member of the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc at info@silradon.org or call the task force at 618-204-5545.

Radon Tee To Be In Southern Illinois

2010-02-01T07:27:00.006-06:00

January is National Radon Action Month. There were a lot of radon awareness activities through out the country as evidenced on www.RadonLeaders.org. CanSAR - Cancer Survivors Against Radon - www.cansar.org is sponsoring a social media campaign called Radon Tee. You can learn about Radon Tee at www.facebook.com/radontee .

Radon Tee will be in Southern Illinois creating Radon Awareness from February 15 through February 28, 2010. Anyone in Southern Illinois that is interested in hosting a Radon Tee event should contact the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force at info@silradon.org. You can learn more about Radon Tee by clicking on the Radon Tee link at www.cansar.org.

Radon Awareness Initiative Luncheon in Southern Illinois

2010-01-30T15:57:00.018-06:00

A gathering of Southern Illinoisans was held at Gibby's on the Green, in Whittington on January 20, to celebrated the radon initiative that took place in a ten-county region during July through October, 2009. In conjunction with the American Lung Association of the Upper Mid West and Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the Southern Illinois Task Force raised awareness of radon by offering free 1,000 radon test kits and mitigating the homes with the ten highest radon levels without charge and performing a free follow-up test after each system was installed.

Cal Murphy, Dave Parkhill and Gloria Linnertz, (The Southern IL Radon Awareness Task Force) explained the danger of living with radon gas inside a home. Scientists estimate that 22,000-25,000 people in our nation die each year from radon-induced lung cancer. Since radon cannot be detected by human senses, the only way to know if elevated levels of radon are present in the home is to test.

Gloria explained the national media networking campaign by Cancer Survivors Against Radon http://www.cansar.org/ in which a little black t-shirt called "Radon TEE" will make its way across the nation and increase the radon awareness, testing and mitigation, thus helping to prevent radon-induced lung cancer and save lives. "A simple little TEE CAN make a difference with the help of people who care about others." Cancer Survivors Against Radon is a group of people who found out they were living with high levels of radon, only after the diagnosis of lung cancer entered their lives. She urged the listeners to join TEE's facebook page www.facebook.com/radontee.

Pat Daniels and Cindy Ladage, the radon program directors for IEMA were present to explain that high levels of radon can be present in any type of home and have been found in every state in our nation. Angela Tin and John DeRossa from the American Lung Association UM presented the homeowners with recognition plaques to celebrate their actions against the radon gas in their homes. Angela relayed the fact that we spend 87 percent of our time indoors.

Several of the homeowners expressed gratification for the awareness initiative and the installation of the radon mitigation system and follow-up test which was free of charge. Other comments by the homeowners present indicated a surprise at the high level of radon in the home and an assurance that the message of the danger of the silent killer--radon--would be carried forward to others.

There were many others attendees who expressed their concern over the lack of education about the danger of radon gas and how easy it is to test and fix if the level is high. Representative Dan Reitz spoke about the importance of everyone testing their homes and commented on recent laws enacted in Illinois such as the Radon Awareness Act which has increased significately the number of homes being tested for radon at the point of sale before the buyer takes occupancy.

2010-01-29T17:28:00.002-06:00

State Representative Dan Reitz visited Waterloo Jr4. High School Tuesday to recognize Radon Action Month. The REDUCE RADON t-shirt worn by Rep. Reitz was designed by WJHS students and has contributed to thousands of dollars raised for radon education activities for Cancer Survivors Against Radon an national organization devoted to increasing radon awareness, testing and mitigation; thereby saving lives by preventing radon-induced lung cancer.

Scientists estimate between 22,000 and 25,000 people lose their life to radon-induced lung cancer each year. Radon is found in every state; the only way to detect the presence of radon is to test for it since it is not detected by human senses. The message is "Test your home for radon; you may be saving the life of your loved one.

submitted photo for Waterloo Republic Times

Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago PSA

2010-01-28T13:48:00.005-06:00

Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago issued the following video as part of Radon Action Month Activities.

Gloria Linnertz Speaks at Radon Awareness Meeting

2010-01-27T17:43:00.005-06:00

January 27, 2010

The photo and verbage included in this post is furnished by Waterloo Republic Times.

Waterloo woman talks radon awareness

Retired Waterloo teacher and current full-time radon activist Gloria Linnertz gave a presentation on the dangers of radon gas Tuesday night at the Monroe County Annex in Waterloo. The presentation was sponsored by the University of Illinois Extension Office as part of January being Radon Action Month. For more information on the dangers of radon in homes, call Linnertz at (618)939-8153, or email seascape@htc.net.

RADON TEE has won the race as it BLAZED A TRAIL in the BLUEGRASS STATE

2010-01-26T10:45:00.002-06:00

During the month of January Radon TEE has galloped all over the Bluegrass state of Kentucky, making friends, having interviews, and meeting celebrities--human and those of another nature—while increasing radon awareness and encouraging testing and mitigation if the level is between 2 and 4 pCi/L or higher.

Radon TEE and its manager, Kyle Hoylman, and KY Team Captain, Heather Robbins, were on several major TV news programs including WTVQ and WHAS,

Some of the celebrities included the Big Blue Wildcat mascot of UK and Big Red of WKU as well as WKU’s basketball coach Ken MCDonald and some of his team players, the president of UK, Lee Todd, and the president of the University of Louisville.

While it was on tour, Radon TEE kept track of articles in other states of those nonsmokers diagnosed with lung cancer like Debra Rebensdorf in Ohio who is convinced radon caused her lung cancer.

TEE appeared with Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, the UPS and USPS facilities, and Coldwell Realty in Danville. The gang at the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors welcomed TEE in Frankfort, and Mammoth Cave employees had a cool conversation about the importance of testing for radon with TEE while in the cave.

Radon TEE made its presence known at the UK College of Public Health and also visited with Dr. William Hacker, Commissioner for Public Health at the Kentucky Department of Public Health; and a visit was made with the real heroes in the fight to cure cancer. Dr. Steve Fleming, Dr. Glyn Caldwell, and Dr. Steve Browning of the UK College of Public Health’s Epidemiology Department. Dr. Tim Mullett of the UK Chandler Medical Center in Lexington, the Department of Cardio thoracic Surgery Chief, relayed that he was currently testing his home for radon. Also a stop was made at the UK’s Clean Indoor Air Partnership where members are dedicated to helping create a healthy indoor air environment for KY.

Colonel Bob Thompson, KFC spokesperson and Colonel Sanders impersonator shared some chicken with TEE in Lexington as they discussed the dangers of radon gas and how easy it is to test and fix if the level is high. Officials of the Lexington Legends Minor League Baseball Team greeted TEE; the University of Louisville Cardinal Bird taught Radon TEE how to cheer for the Cardinals basketball team; but, the beauty of Maria Montgomery, Miss Kentucky USA 2009, dazzled Radon TEE.

One of TEE’s first appearances in Kentucky was with the 2010 Kentucky Radon Poster Contest Winners. Yes, Radon TEE has trotted continuously to spread the word of the deadly power of the silent killer—radon gas. Its last stop will be perhaps its most impressive in a visit with Governor Steve Beshear and the First Lady of Kentucky, Jane Beshear. Yes, Radon TEE has made a big impact on Kentucky and spread its message far and wide. Kentucky will have sold 500 Radon TEE 2010 World-Trek shirts to help raise money to assist CanSAR in achieving its goals of saving lives by helping to prevent radon-induced lung cancer deaths..

It’s time now for TEE to move on to the Land of Lincoln. Other states that are already on the itinerary are Colorado, Utah, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oregon, and Alabama. I hope that the other state captains will select a time for TEE to visit this year also. It needs to stay on the move to help carry its message forward. If you haven’t joined www.facebook.com/radontee, please do so to keep up with TEE’s travels. Cansar will have a link on the www.cansar.org website so people can go there and order either a REDUCE RADON t-shirt or the Radon TEE 2010 World Trek t-shirt for $20.00 and/or a radon test kit with the coupon that is distributed by the team leaders.

The fun is in the journey; it’s all about the journey and the people along the way.

Gloria Linnertz
seascape@htc.net
Cancer Survivors Against Radon
www.cansar.org

IEMA will recognize Calvin Murphy of Mount Vernon with the Illinois Excellence in Radon Award

2010-01-11T21:18:00.001-06:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEJanuary 11, 2010
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Health Officials, Radon Professionals Discuss Ways to Increase Public Awareness of Radon Hazards Nearly 70 participants attend IEMA’s 7th Annual Radon Networking Day in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD – Nearly 70 public health officials, contractors, extension educators and other radon partners are attending a day-long meeting in Springfield Monday to learn how they can increase public awareness about radon. The 7th Annual Radon Networking Day is sponsored by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) Radon Program.
High levels of radon, a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas, have been found in more than 40 percent of homes tested for radon in Illinois. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the nation. However, for non-smokers, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer. It’s estimated that nearly 1,200 lung cancer deaths each year in Illinois are related to radon.
“We’re very fortunate in Illinois to have a strong network of partners throughout the state who are devoted to increasing public awareness of radon’s health hazard,” said IEMA Director Andrew Velasquez III. “Radon Networking Day provides a unique opportunity for these partners to hear from various experts and share information with their counterparts from around Illinois.”
During the conference, IEMA will recognize Calvin Murphy of Mount Vernon with the Illinois Excellence in Radon Award for his efforts in radon education and outreach. Murphy, a professional radon mitigation contractor for the past 20 years, was instrumental in the formation of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force, and recently worked with the American Lung Association of Illinois on the Southern Illinois Radon Initiative. He has also served as an officer with the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists.
“Calvin has been an instrumental partner in raising radon awareness throughout the state,” said Pat Daniels, manager of the IEMA radon program.
Representatives from the following health departments and other local government agencies are scheduled to attend Radon Networking Day:
Christian CountyCook CountyFord-IroquoisGlenviewLaSalle CountyLogan CountyMacoupin CountyNapervilleSangamon CountyShelby CountySouthern SevenSt. Clair CountyTazewell CountyWinnebago County
Other participants in the event include representatives from the American Cancer Society, American Lung Association, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago, Blessing Hospital (Quincy), Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Department of Human Services, SimmonsCooper Cancer Institute at Southern Illinois University, USEPA Region 5, University of Illinois Extension, AARST CANSAR and several radon contractors.

IEMA and its partners encourage everyone to test their homes for radon and to have a radon reduction system installed if the levels are at or above 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/liter), the action level established by the USEPA. A study conducted by IEMA found that 42 percent of Illinois homes tested by homeowners or professional measurement contractors had high levels of radon.

More information about radon, including lists of measurement and mitigation professionals, is available on IEMA’s radon website (http://www.radon.illinois.gov/) or by calling the Radon Hotline at 1-800-0325-1245.
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Cal Murphy Receives the 2009 Illinois Excellence in Radon Award by IEMA

2010-01-11T18:52:00.022-06:00

At Illinois Emergency Management Agencies' Seventh Annual Radon Networking Day in Springfield, IL, on January 11, 2010, Cal Murphy made a presentation reporting the success of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force's Awareness Initiative. In partnership with IEMA and the American Lung Association-UM, 1,000 radon test kits were offered free to the residents of a ten countywide area in Southern Illinois. The ten homes with the highest radon levels were mitigated free of charge. The materials were supplied by American Lung Association of the Upper MidWest, and the homes were tested and mitigated without charge by Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force members, Dave Parkhill and Cal Murphy.

Much to Cal's surprise during the meeting, he was awarded the 2009 Illinois Excellence In Radon Award by Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Although Cal has been a successful licensed radon mitigator for over 20 years near Chicago, he has devoted the last two years to radon awareness in Southern Illinois by initiating opportunities to educate others on the deadly power of the silent killer--radon. By attending health fairs and job fairs, giving presentations, participating in radio, newspaper and television interviews, Cal Murphy of Mt. Vernon is making his mark on the Southern Illinois communities when it comes to radon awareness and prevention. Through Cal's tireless efforts, many homeowners in the downstate counties of Illinois are now learning about radon and taking action in their homes to provide a safer living environment for their families.

Cal treats every month as RADON ACTION MONTH--not just January. In Illinois approximately 1,160 deaths occur from radon-induced lung cancer each year. If you see Cal on the streets in Mt. Vernon, tip your hat to him because he is MAKING A DIFFERENCE!!

SIUE Nursing Students PSA

2009-12-30T10:28:00.003-06:00

Here is the PSA prepared by the nursing students at SIUE.

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc would like to take this opportunity to wish you a healthy 2010.

RADON AWARENESS 101 by Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Nursing Students

2009-12-20T16:48:00.017-06:00

On December 15, three Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville radon champions, Aaron Archer, Kristen Mercer, and Kathryn Reader, privileged me to witness their presentation on “Radon--Raising the Awareness” given at SIUE Community Nursing Services in East St. Louis, IL, as a final product of their practical experience in public health policy and education under the direction of Kathi Thimsen, MSN, RN, CWOCN Director, Community Nursing Services Instruction. These students assessed the demographic, biostatistical behavioral and environmental data in Bond County, Illinois, wrote and recorded a radio segment for 101.7 WGEL in Greenville, IL, drafted a letter to Illinois state legislators, and created health education pamphlets and a PowerPoint presentation to provide to Bond County residents and their SIU-E nursing student peers. Through their interviews with radon professionals, state employees at Illinois Emergency Management Agency and advocacy groups, these students were able to share their information on the correlations between radon and lung cancer, the ease of testing a home for radon, the procedure of radon mitigation, and the synergistic relationship between smoking and radon in the development of lung cancer with the Bond County Health Department, Bond County residents and other nursing students.

These radon warriors discovered that the population of Bond County is generally unaware of the danger of radon gas and that there has been little systematic testing. With the high prevalence of smoking, abandoned coalmines in the area, the lack of resources, education, and funding, along with the EPA radon risk assessment of the area; the residents face an increased risk of radon-induced lung cancer. The students explained the nitty gritty of radon testing and mitigation to their audiences of the Bond County Health Department and their nursing student peers.

By contacting Illinois Senator Kyle McCarter and Representative Ron Stephens, these students relayed the risk of radon-induced lung cancer and requested amendments to IL Public Act 096-0278, 096-015 and 096-0417. The students indicated that because the practices of radon testing for schools, radon testing of homes and radon control methods in new construction have not been made mandatory but are only recommendations; disadvantaged and susceptible groups of people continue to be exposed to elevated radon levels. Kristen, Aaron and Kathi asked for support from the legislators to protect the interests of the people of Bond County Illinois with mandated radon policy.

These SIU-E students and their instructor, Kathi Thimsen, Director, Community Nursing Services are engaging in creative, innovative and effective methods of advocating public health protection and education. We at Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CANSAR), American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST), and Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force commend them for their superb efforts in helping to raise awareness of radon and protect our citizens from radon-induced lung cancer--the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers.

Task Force to receive Radon Leadership Initiative grant

2009-12-04T10:18:00.002-06:00

The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc. has received notification that it has been awarded a $2000.00 grant as part of the Radon Leadership Initiative. The initiative program is intended to enhance radon awareness through community action. The grant will be received from the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (US EPA) Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

Among the awareness activities planned is a lunch for Southern Illinois County Health Departments, County Extension Offices, and Health Care Professionals to provide information about the health risk of living with elevated radon levels. The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc, in cooperation with Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program and the American Lung Association of Illinois will be hosting the lunch
January 20, 2010.

Radon Away and Accustar Labs Honored

2009-11-30T06:57:00.004-06:00

November 30, 2009

Following is the text of a PR Web press release honoring Radon Away and Accustar Labs. The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc. congratulates Carolyn Allan, Dave Hill and Radon Away and Accuatar Labs on the award. As Carolyn points out, in addition to an environmental issue, radon is also a medical issue.

Two Spruce Environmental Technologies companies, RadonAway and AccuStar Labs, were recognized as “advocates of the effort to prevent radon-induced lung cancer through risk reduction” at the annual awards dinner and fundraiser hosted by the American Lung Association’s New England Chapter.

(PRWEB) November 30, 2009 -- On Friday, November 13, 2009 RadonAway and AccuStar Labs were honored for their roles in promoting lung cancer awareness and prevention by the American Lung Association (ALA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The companies received “Fight for Air” awards at an annual dinner and fundraiser hosted by the ALA’s New England Chapter. The event, “Evening in Paris: A Gala to Support Lung Cancer Awareness,” took place at The Charles Hotel in Cambridge, Mass., and was presented by Kindred Healthcare. This annual event is held each November in recognition of National Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

The ALA program booklet for the evening described RadonAway and AccuStar as “advocates of the effort to prevent radon-induced lung cancer through risk reduction.”

The event’s MC, Heather Unruh, News Anchor for WCVB-TV, the Boston ABC affiliate, presented the “Fight for Air” Award to Carolyn Allen, President of AccuStar Labs and David Hill, Vice President of Sales and Marketing of Spruce Environmental Technologies, Inc. headquartered in Ward Hill, MA, the parent company of AccuStar, RadonAway and HomeAire.

Along with the “Fight for Air” Award, AccuStar and RadonAway also received official recognition citations from the Massachusetts State Senate, praising their “leadership in providing …equipment to protect the public from radon gas.”

“AccuStar Labs and RadonAway are proud to receive the Fight for Air award from the New England Chapter of the American Lung Association,” said Carolyn Allen. “We hope this recognition will help extend our call to prevent lung cancer into the medical community. With the help of health care professionals, together we can spread the news that radon testing and mitigation save lives.”

In his acceptance speech, David Hill said, “I’m humbled to be among tonight’s other honorees. Since I learned about our award, I’ve been thinking about what we might have in common with this very distinguished group of physicians, surgeons and researchers, and now I have realized what it is: We perform surgery on houses, fighting lung cancer by removing a carcinogen from people’s homes with our surgical tools - jackhammers, sawzalls and fans.” About Spruce Environmental Technologies, Inc. Spruce Environmental Technologies, Inc., an Energy Star® Partner, was founded in 1989 by Alan Zucchino, David Kapturowski and Howard Zidel. The company has been manufacturing inline ventilation fans to reduce radon and improve indoor air quality for more than 20 years. Its four major brands are Spruce (www.spruce.com), which manufactures inline fans for general and specialized ventilation; RadonAway (www.radonaway.com), the world’s leading radon fan manufacturer and radon equipment distributor; AccuStar Labs (www.accustarlabs.com), which provides radon testing products – including Alpha Track radon testing devices, which were Rated #1 by a leading national consumer advocacy group – and laboratory services to professionals and homeowners; and HomeAire (www.homeaire.com), a manufacturer and distributor of indoor air quality products and accessories that offers products through dealers and an online store.

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Radon Statement News Events Recap

2009-11-25T08:43:00.003-06:00

November 25, 2009

Following is the text from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists, AARST, Briefly Speaking which was released this morning.

Starting in December 2008, the radon industry had a series of very major announcements regarding the health risk of exposure to radon gas.

The last 12 Months have been a big year in radon science and policy statements coming out of various organizations around the world.

Last December we began the countdown with reports from such eminent researchers as William Field, Ph.D. and Dr. Susan Conrath at the President's Cancer Panel Presentations.

Go to:

http://www.aarst.org/images/PCPanelRadonTest.pdf

This was followed by a release on July 21, 2009 by the
United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation,
http://www.unscear.org/docs/Radon-distrib.pdf

Which said: Radon leads to increases in the underlying risk of lung cancer. This is particularly relevant for smokers, who are already at higher risk of contracting lung cancer. Although there are major uncertainties in calculating from the studies of miners to exposure at home, there is remarkably good agreement between the estimates derived from studies of miners at high levels and the direct evidence at low levels.

We thought we had the BIG NEWS In September 2009

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION Report:

http://www.who.int/phe/radiation/backgrounder_radon/en/index.html
AARST has posted this document on it's web site for easy downloading.

This was then followed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection Statement on Radon Approved by the Commission in November 2009

The Commission has now reviewed recently available scientific information on the health effects attributable to exposure to radon and its decay products. The Commission's findings are consistent with other comprehensive estimates including that submitted to the United Nations General Assembly by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR, 2009).
http://www.icrp.org/icrp_radon.asp

http://www.who.int/phe/radiation/backgrounder_radon/en/index.html

LATE BREAKING NEWS Health Physics Society Revises Radon Policy November 2009!

UPDATE ON PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON INDOOR RADON

http://hps.org/documents/radon_position_statement.pdf

Bill Field posted the new Health Physics Society's radon position statement on the Radon Professionals listserv and we all need to thanks our colleagues for their efforts that brought the new statement on radon to reality.

Some members may not be aware that the Health Physics Society is a well respected scientific organization of professionals who specialize in radiation safety and thus, the statement carries special significance.

Those that contributed leadership to the statement include Jim Burkhart (UCCS), Bill Field (UIa), Phil Jenkins (Bowser Morner), Dan Steck (St. Johns U), Susan Conrath (EPA), and Kevin Stewart (ALA-PA).

The HPS statement and the remainder of radon policy developments over the past 12 months underscore that it is, indeed, a time to offer thanks to everyone who contributed to these significant and upgraded changes in radon policy throughout the world. The policy developments of the past 12 months will fuel increased radon testing, mitigation and prevention in 2010 and beyond.

Sincerely,

Bill Angell

On behalf of the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force, Inc., thank you.

November--Lung Cancer Awareness Month--Radon Leading Cause in Nonsmokers

2009-11-16T16:53:00.025-06:00

During the month of November, members of the SIL Radon Task Force shared the message of radon-induced lung cancer prevention throughout Southern Illinois.

Display booths are present at the Holy Trinity Wellness Fair in Fairview Heights and at the Cancer Corner in the Public Library in Metropolis.

Cal and Cathy Murphy encourage radon testing by wearing their t-shirts at the Benefit for Life Affair in Mt. Vernon.

Recently at the Mt. Vernon Mall, Cal Murphy urges the public to take action against radon if the levels are elevated.
Cal also carries his message to the Salem Health Fair to help prevent radon-induced lung cancer by encouraging radon testing and mitigation if the level is elevated above 3 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). He shares the newly released level recommended by the World Health Organization of 2.7 to minimize health hazards due to indoor radon exposure.

Midwest AARST Recognizes SIL Radon Awareness Task Force

2009-11-15T07:51:00.004-06:00

Calvin Murphy left, Gloria Linnertz center, and David Parkhill right, were recognized by the Midwest Chapter of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) at a meeting November 13, 2009 located at the Chateau in Bloomington, Illinois.

The award recognizes the efforts of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force in creating awareness of the dangers of living with elevated radon levels.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that causes lung cancer. The only way to determine radon levels in a house is to conduct a radon test.

For information on obtaining radon test kits, please contact the SIL Radon Awareness Task Force at info@silradon.org.

2011 Illinois Radon Poster Contest Announced

2009-11-07T08:25:00.004-06:00

Here is a great opportunity. The SIL Radon Awareness Task Force urges all schools, 4-H clubs and other groups to participate in the poster contest. If you need additional information, please contact the task force at info@silradon.org.

Gloria Linnertz National Lung Cancer Awareness Month Plea

2009-11-02T17:46:00.006-06:00

We think we know about radon and lung cancer, but do we?

Why was I so confident in my ignorance is the question I ask myself very often. In the months prior to my husband’s diagnosis of lung cancer, he mentioned to me that perhaps we should check our home for radon gas. Of course, I didn’t know anything about radon gas, but thought I did. I said that our home was relatively new—only twenty years old—and we had a tight basement. I was confident in my ignorance! Because radon cannot be detected through our senses, the only way to know if this silent killer is intruding into your home is to test. Recognizing what we can’t see, taste or smell is the problem.

In the year before his diagnosis, my husband Joe also said to me that he might have cancer. My husband had previously had two triple artery bypasses twenty years apart. Again, I said, you don’t have cancer; you have heart disease. I thought he was just worrying too much. I thought I knew but I didn’t. My husband Joe was a person to take preventive and safe measures. For 27 years he worked and exercised every day, kept a low fat, low cholesterol diet, and didn’t smoke. We had smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers in our home; and we didn’t burn candles. Joe only lived six weeks after his diagnosis of lung cancer that had spread to his liver and bones. We had been living with a radon level of 17.6 picocuries per liter of air in our home for 18 years.

Knowing the word radon and that it is a gas does not constitute knowledge of the element and its danger. You’ve heard the saying “A little knowledge can be dangerous.” I would change that to “A little knowledge can be deadly.” We, the general public, don’t know the facts. We must replace our limited knowledge with a full base of all the facts on radon.

Dr. Bill Field, an American Academic Scholar and Professor in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health and Department of Epidemiology within the College of Public Health at the University of Iowa, who has recently been appointed to the Advisory Board on Radiation and Worker Health by President Obama, stated that protracted radon progeny exposure is the seventh leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States and the leading environmental cause of cancer mortality. It is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among non-smokers. Large and recent studies confirm that radon in homes increases lung cancer risks. Throughout our world up to 18% of the lung cancers can be attributed to indoor radon according to Professor Bill Angell, Chair of the Prevention and Mitigation Working Group of the World Health Organization’s International Radon Project. . Radioactive particles from radon gas are inhaled and attach to the air sacs in the lungs. These particles change the characteristic of the cells to cancer, and those mutated cells divide and multiply.

Radon is a radioactive gas that emanates from rocks and soils and tends to concentrate in enclosed spaces like houses. Soil gas infiltration is the most important source of residential radon and is present in every home (except ones on stilts) because of the way our homes are built and designed.

The analysis from recent studies in Europe, North America, and Asia indicates that lung cancer risk increases proportionally with increasing radon exposure according to the World Health Organization (WHO). There is no known threshold concentration below which radon is safe. On September 21, 2009 WHO, in view of the latest scientific data, released a reference level of 2.7 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L) as a minimum level to minimize health hazards due to indoor radon exposure.

Radon is easy to measure. Every home needs to be tested for radon because each home has its own individual footprint on the earth. The homeowner cannot rely on the results of surrounding houses in the neighborhood. A short term (3-7 days) and/or long term (3-12 months) test kit can be used. Radon professionals can also perform the test with electronic devices. Test kits can be obtained from the radon hotline at (785) 532-6026 or email at Radon@ksu.edu. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or Web site: www.sosradon.org. Radon test kits can also be purchased at the local hardware stores.

It is easy to protect from radon gas. Addressing radon is important in new construction as well as existing buildings. Radon prevention strategies focus on sealing radon entry routes and using soil depressurization techniques to prevent the gas from entering the home. The cost is very reasonable. “How little it can cost to save a life!” is what I would say to someone who complained about the expense of a radon mitigation system installed by a licensed radon professional.

I write this in memory of my husband Joe --who was so very dear to me—my friend, my partner, my companion, my love. I ask you to test your home for radon during this month of November—National Lung Cancer Awareness Month. If your level is above 2.7, spend that little extra money to help save a life. That life may be someone you love.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month Flyer

2009-10-30T14:20:00.004-05:00

This Lung Cancer Awarness Month flyer is available for download on the Hope Light Foundation website www.hopelightproject.com

Please download a copy and place in areas where the public will be able to see it.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

2009-10-29T19:55:00.003-05:00

The Mayor of Metropolis, Illinois has issued the following proclamation relative to Novemeber being Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Click on image for a larger view.

November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month

2009-10-29T19:28:00.003-05:00

The Mayor of the City of Cairo, Illinois has issued the following proclamation relative to November being Lung Cancer Awareness Month.

Click on the proclamation for a larger view.

Radon Awareness Initiative Mitigation Installations

2009-10-26T21:45:00.003-05:00

The last of the free mitigation systems was installed on October 26, 2009. The ten systems were installed in DuQuoin, Mt. Vernon, Radom, Carterville, Colp, Centralia, Marion, Coulterville, with two systems in Nashville.

The distribution of the systems indicates that elevaled radon levels can be found all over Southern Illinois.

The initiative was very successful in raising awareness of the dangers of living with elevated radon levels. For those that requested a test kit but have not returned it to the lab, please do so. Being odorless, colorless, and tasteless, the only way to know if your house has elevated radon levels is to conduct a radon test.

If you did not request a test kit as part of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative, please do so. Test kits can be ordered on line at www.lungil.org or at www.il.radon.com.

To those that had systems installed in their homes, thank you for participating in the program.

National Radon Awareness Week

2009-10-19T17:29:00.002-05:00

OCTOBER 18-24 IS NATIONAL RADON AWARENESS WEEK

To alert the public about the dangers of living with elevated radon levels, October 18 through 24, 2009 has been declared as National Radon Awareness Week. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, taking an estimated 22,000 lives in the United States annually.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is a by-product of the uranium decay process. As the naturally occurring uranium in the soil breaks down, radon is formed and can accumulate in houses in sufficient quantities to lead to lung cancer. Being odorless, colorless, and tasteless, the only to know the radon level in a structure is to conduct a radon test. Radon test kits are available on-line and at home repair centers.

According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, more than 100,000 home radon tests have been conducted by professional contractors and homeowners between 2003 and 2008. Those results showed that nearly 40 percent of Illinois homes tested have radon levels above the USEPA-recommended 4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).

Calvin Murphy with the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force says that everyone living in Southern Illinois that has not tested their home for radon should do so. When someone tests their home and takes corrective action to reduce elevated radon levels, the risk of contracting radon induced lung cancer is reduced for everyone living in the house. Elevated radon levels in houses can be easily reduced.

For more information about radon, please visit the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force website www.silradon.org

VIDEO BLOG: Susie Shimek and Gloria Linnertz Discuss the Concurrent National Radon Meetings in St. Louis | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2009-09-29T08:30:00.001-05:00

VIDEO BLOG: Susie Shimek and Gloria Linnertz Discuss the Concurrent National Radon Meetings in St. Louis | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

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VIDEO BLOG: CanSAR's Gloria Linnertz and Barb Sorgatz Share their Personal Radon Stories | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

2009-09-29T08:25:00.001-05:00

VIDEO BLOG: CanSAR's Gloria Linnertz and Barb Sorgatz Share their Personal Radon Stories | Radon Leaders Saving Lives

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Radon Awareness Initiative Update

2009-08-11T08:21:00.001-05:00

Results of The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative are beginning to become available. Of the 1000 test kits that were available for the Initiative, the American Lung Association of Illinois distributed a total of 998 test kits.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States. In previous studies by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program, there was insufficient data to accurately determine the percentage of houses in Southern Illinois with higher than recommended radon gas levels.

A total of 508 kits were returned for analysis. Of the returned test kits, 51 houses or 11.2% had radon gas levels above the United States Environmental Protection Agency - USEPA- action level of 4.0 picocurie per liter –pCi/L- of air. At least one house in each of the 10 counties included in the Initiative had radon levels above the USEPA action level. According to the USEPA publication A Citizen’s Guide to Radon, the USEPA estimates that 1 in 15 or 6.7% of the houses in the United States have radon levels in excess of the action level. The results indicate that in the ten counties included in the Initiative, the number of houses with radon levels above the action level is almost double the national estimate.

Calvin Murphy, a member of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force stated that “all of the sponsors of the Initiative are extremely pleased with the outcome. We distributed 99.8% of the available test kits. Having a return rate in excess of 50% in a program of this type is very unusual. Although it is a small sample, we now have some data about radon levels in this area.”

Of the initial data received, the highest test result was 26.9 pCi/L. This test was conducted in Williamson County.

The sponsors of the Initiative, ALA of Illinois, Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program, USEPA, and the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force thank everyone that participated in this activity. Test kit recipients that have not returned the test kits for analysis are urged to expose the kit per the manufacturer’s instructions and return them for analysis. Participants that did return the test kits are urged to test again during another season to confirm the results of their initial test as radon levels sometimes have seasonal variations.

A listing of the winners of the ten free mitigation systems will be released at a future date. Those that had radon levels above the action level are urged to take action to reduce the level. Reducing radon levels reduces the lung cancer risk for everyone that lives the house.

June 30 2009 Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative Update

2009-06-30T20:21:00.001-05:00

The free test kit portion of the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative ended at 4:30 pm June 30, 2009.

Preliminary data from the American Lung Association of Illinois indicates that 988 of the 1000 available test kits were requested. Thank you to all of the media that assisted with distributing information throughout the ten county area regarding the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative.

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. It claims an estimated 21,000 lives in the United States annually.

The next milestone in the Initiative is July 14. 2009. Test kits received as part of the Awareness Initiative must be postmarked by July 14, 2009 in order to qualify for one of the ten free radon mitigation systems.

Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative Update

2009-06-19T15:26:00.004-05:00

According to the ALA of Illinois, there have been requests for 757 test kits since the initiative was launched. We have a good distribution in all of the targeted counties except Washington and Clinton counties.

The details of the initiative are as follows:

Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. It claims an estimated 21,000 lives in the United States annually.

Statewide in Illinois, in 24 counties, greater that 50% of the houses have radon levels exceeding the recommended action level of 4.0 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). In 34 counties, between 25 and 50% of the houses have radon greater than the action level. In the remaining 44 counties, most of which are in Southern Illinois, there has not been enough houses tested to determine the percentage of houses that exceed the action level.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency – USEPA - , American Lung Association of Illinois, Illinois Emergency Management Agency – IEMA -, Cancer Survivors Against Radon – CanSAR, the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force and Allied Radon Services, Inc. have partnered in an initiative to increase awareness in Southern Illinois of living with elevated radon levels.

The targeted counties include Clay, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, Washington, Wayne, and Williamson.

Between June 15 and June 30, 2009, homeowners in the above counties can request free radon test kits at the American Lung Association of Illinois website www.lungil.org or by calling 800-788-5864. The test kits must be requested by 4:30 pm June 30, 2009. The radon test must be completed and post marked by July 14, 2009. After the radon levels are confirmed, the 10 houses with the highest radon levels will receive a free mitigation system installed by an Illinois Emergency Management Agency licensed mitigation professional.

Radon Awareness Initiative Launched

2009-06-09T20:02:00.011-05:00

Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Initiative Partners

• United States Environmental Protection Agency
• American Lung Association of Illinois
• Illinois Emergency Management Agency
• Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force
• Cancer Survivors Against Radon
• Allied Radon Services, Inc.
• Newspapers, Radio Stations, News Stations

Initiative Summary

Objective: Reduce the risk of Radon in homes in Southern Illinois through radon testing and mitigation. 1000 radon test kits will be distributed to home owners who wish to test their homes for radon. The 10 homes with the highest radon concentrations will be eligible for a free home mitigation system.
Counties targeted include: Clay, Clinton, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Marion, Perry, Washington, Wayne, and Williamson. According to the Illinois Emergency Management Agency these counties have too few tests between January 2003-December 2007 to provide a good picture of the radon potential in that area and this should be rectified as soon as possible in order to demonstrate radon risks in this particular region.

Current Timeline
1. Begin Southern IL Radon Awareness Initiative on June 14th
2. Free Radon Test Kits must be requested by 4:30pm June 30th
3. Radon test must be completed and post marked by July 14th
4. Radon test results analyzed and homes picked by August 7th

Additional Radon Information:
Websites:
American Lung Association of Illinois - http://www.lungil.org/environment/radon.cfm
Illinois Emergency Management Agency - http://radon.illinois.gov/
United States Environmental Protection Agency - http://www.epa.gov/radon/
Cancer Survivors Against Radon (CanSAR) - http://www.cansar.org/
Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force - http://www.silradon.blogspot.com/

Request your FREE radon test kit online at: http://www.lungil.org/environment/radon.cfm or call the ALA of Illinois at 1-800-788-5864.

If you have questions, please email jderosa@lungil.org or the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force at info@silradon.org

Making a Difference Together Against Radon

2009-05-18T00:26:00.011-05:00

The last couple of weeks have been filled with opportunities to make a difference. The Illinois Lung Health Advocacy day in Illinois sponsored by the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago gave participants the chance to meet Illinois legislators and share their concerns and stories on April 28 and 29.

Following that was the Prescription for Radon—A Medical Forum sponsored by the American Lung Association, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Environmental Protection Agency, Illinois Thoracic Society, Midwest Universities Radon Consortium, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and many other partners. The speakers were outstanding! Pictured on the right are Dr. Michael Stutz, Radiation Oncologist and lung cancer survivor and nonsmoker, Barb Sorgatz who was living with high levels of radon. The featured speakers presented the same message from different perspectives: radioactive radon is a killer; it can be prevented; it is up to us to make it happen!

On May 8 and 9 the Midwest Chapter of American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) had an energized and enthusiastic meeting for two days at the Spring Radon Conference. Everyone was alive with ideas of how to save lives.

A few days later on May 13 and 14, Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago sponsored the National Lung Health Advocacy Days in Washington, DC. Groups concerned with lung health from all over the nation assembled and took their messages to the U.S. Senators and Representatives requesting action be taken to save lives.

These two days were packed full of meetings and requests to our federal legislators to take action and make a difference in lung health and in the greatest of all cancer killers—lung cancer.

I was fortunate enough to be present for all of these events and wish to express my heartfelt thanks for all of the planning and work to those responsible for these opportunities. Thank you to everyone who was in attendance at the Midwest AARST conference and a special thank you to all of those who participated in the T-shirt auction! There is much to do, but together we can make a difference and help save some of the approximately 25,000 people who die from radon-induced lung cancer each year.

All of this work and effort is to prevent others from dieing from radon-induced lung cancer. Getting legislation passed, educating the public and getting houses, schools and workplaces tested and mitigated if the radon is high is what it is all about. Thanks for your help.

Pictured on the right in the Giant baseball shirt is a nonsmoker, a lover of baseball, and a middle school teacher from Portland, Oregon, Susan McCormick who has been diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer. Susan was living with very high levels of radon in her home without her knowledge. Susan is one of the thousands across our country who have found themselves battling lung cancer and then finding out about radon. Susan , her sister, brother and nephew were able to attend a game on one of her better days.

Thank You Midwest AARST

2009-05-17T15:25:00.004-05:00

The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force commends the Midwest Chapter of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists - AARST - for their generosity in awarding mini grants to both Deb Clinebell at the Waterloo, IL grade school and to the Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force.

Speaking of generosity, several Chapter members also contributed generously as part of an auction of Tee Shirts that were sold by the Waterloo, IL science class to raise funds. Following are pictures of the Midwest Chapter members that purchased Tee Shirts at auction to support the AARST lobbyist capital campaign. These shirts effectively raised funds twice. Once for the school and once for the Association. This effort shows that radon professionals really take their job of saving lives very seriously.

The auction of the Tee Shirts rasied almost $3000.00.

Nationwide Call for Action Begins

2009-05-05T10:23:00.003-05:00

The following letter was released today by Cancer Survivors Against Radon.

May 5, 2009

Why are we letting this happen?

500,000 lung cancer deaths over the past 25 years because of the radioactive toxin, radon, in our nation’s homes!

Many of these deaths occurred since Congress passed the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act that has given our citizens a severely underfunded voluntary federal program!

Real Families Are Hurt By The Underfunding and Voluntary Focus of This Effort: Gloria Linnertz of Illinois, Marlene MacEwan of Oregon, and hundreds of thousands of others lost their spouses to lung cancer. Barbara Sorgatz of Illinois developed Stage 1 lung cancer a few years ago and was fortunate to catch it early.

Liz Hoffmann was 37 years old when diagnosed with Stage 3 lung cancer. Shortly thereafter, she found that her home tested high with radon, a radioactive gas and Group 1 (demonstrated) human carcinogen. She never smoked. Liz helped found Cancer Survivors Against Radon to create a voice for those who can no longer speak about radon risk. In six years that have passed, Liz’s cancer has returned twice and now has progressed to Stage 4. The five year survival rate for lung cancer is just 15%.

Gloria’s Home tested 4 times higher than the EPA recommended radon action level, Marlene’s home tested 15 times higher, Barbara’s home tested 5 times higher, and Liz’s home was 2 times higher.

None of these women had ever heard of radon gas before they encountered the diagnosis of lung cancer.

There are tens of thousands more families like theirs who have family members dying of radon induced lung cancer (25,000 die annually from radon exposure in their homes).

Radon is a toxic radioactive gas that is at seriously elevated concentrations in as many as 8 million American homes. In fact, there are now more homes with elevated than at any time in our history, despite a 20 year voluntary U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Radon Program. The program has been allowed to fail because of lack of adequate funding and limitations of needed leadership.

Please help Cancer Survivors Against Radon begin to change this story. Up to 25,000 Americans die year after year from lung cancer caused by radon in their homes.

Why is the nation’s radon program a voluntary one when we have a growing number of homes with high radon and an increasing number of radon lung cancer deaths?

Please ask the U.S. EPA to live up to the goals and requirements of the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act, and the recommendations of the EPA’s Inspector General that the Agency increase regulatory approaches. And, please restore funding so EPA can do what our nation needs to reduce this threat.

EPA needs to work out a plan with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (the related McKinney Amendments) that requires all federally backed mortgages to require a radon test or radon notification from the U.S. EPA. Please lend your voice encouraging HUD to be part of the solution and part of the problem with this major radioactive toxin in our nation’s homes.

Please ask Administrator Jackson to reverse the U.S. EPA radon retreat that began in the mid-1990s, one that has seen human and funding resources diverted from this critical issue.

Please ask the EPA Administrator to properly fund needed technical resources, or to support transferring this program to another federal agency with the resources and will to do a proper job.

Please do not let the US EPA abdicate technical requirements to underfunded, understaffed state programs. Congress never envisioned such actions in 1988.

500,000 deaths over 25 years with no meaningful risk reduction.

Where’s the Protection in a voluntary program at USEPA that is allowing this to happen?

Lung Health Advocacy Day in Illinois' Capitol

2009-04-28T09:18:00.007-05:00

Rep. Dan Reitz,
Gloria Linnertz,
Governor Pat Quinn

April 23 was Lung Health Advocacy Day in my state capitol, Springfield, IL sponsored by the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago (RHAMC); and I was delighted to be invited to attend and involved again this year. Approximately 30 advocates shared their stories with our Illinois representatives and senators throughout that day and the previous evening during a dinner at the Governor’s mansion. Our message to the legislators was generally a request for legislative action to improve the lung health of the citizens of Illinois with the support and sponsorship of specific bills. The organization and effort by RHAMC to arrange for this communication between the legislators and their constituents is invaluable!

Dan Reitz, my representative was the cheif sponsor of the radon bills which were introduced in the House and passed successfully to the Senate. Radon bills before the senators include HB4223, HB1088 and HB2439 which address recommending schools to be tested for radon, requiring approval for radon testing devices by IEMA and establishing a task force to make recommendations for radon control methods in newly constructed homes. I had a few brief moments to share my husband’s story with Governor Pat Quinn, Senator Maggie Hunter and Senator Mark Maloney. My senator, Dave Luechtefeld, is sponsoring HB4223, Senator Iris Martinez has taken over chief sponsorship of HB 2439 and Senator Jackie Collins is sponsoring HB1088.

I managed to drop by the offices of several senators to leave my card and a Cancer Survivors Against Radon brochure requesting support and sponsorship for the radon bills in the senate. My message is that approximately 25,000 people in the U.S. die of lung cancer each year from radon gas (1,200 in Illinois). This is preventable. The legislators have the opportunity to use their power to support bills that will help educate our citizens about this silent killer and to help save lives. Our citizens and our legislators are not aware of the deadly power of radon and it is up to us to teach them. We can win the war on lung cancer through PREVENTION! Radon gas can be prevented. Hopefully I will be able to meet with Governor Pat Quinn to seek further action against radon.

Gloria Linnertz
618 830 4660
seascape@htc.net
618 Evansville Ave.
Waterloo, IL 62298
VP, Cancer Survivors Against Radon

Science Teacher and Students Are Making a Difference!

2009-04-26T20:03:00.007-05:00

On my way to the yard waste-recycling site in my little town of Waterloo, Illinois, I saw two girls walking on the sidewalk wearing black t-shirts which displayed in very large white letters “REDUCE RADON.” I almost dropped my teeth; I was so elated! My first inclination was to pursue the girls and find out more about them; however, I continued with my little journey. With a few seconds of thought, I knew there was only one person who could be responsible for this—Debbie Clinebell our eight grade science teacher at Waterloo Junior High School. Immediately upon returning home I went to these websites: http://www.wcusd5.net/cms/teacher_pages/mrs-clinebells-web-page/2009-radon-service-projects
http://www.wcusd5.net/cms/teacher_pages/mrs-clinebells-web-page/2009-radon-project

For years Debbie and her students have been granted an EPA State Indoor Radon Grant (SIRG) to purchase radon test kits for the Waterloo community and to educate the local government officials and citizens of the danger of radon gas. However with the challenge of no money from EPA this year, Debbie and her students created the Radon Community Service Project. They began to design fundraisers to earn enough money to purchase the radon test kits and seek out ways to bring others into the awareness that radon gas is present, it causes lung cancer, and it can be prevented.

The students’ efforts to raise money and their outreach methods may have a greater impact on the surrounding area than their original goal of placing the test kits in the homes. Through the sale of the Reduce Radon t-shirts, the Hat day and the autographed Cardinal baseball and photograph, the students raised $470. The students’ activities included reading the “Radon Story” to first graders, writing Oprah and requesting a show focusing on radon, creating pamphlets and flyers on radon displayed and distributed in local businesses, requesting the Chamber of Commerce to create a Radon Walk, displaying information at the local Relay for Life, writing letters to the editors of many newspapers in the two-state area, creating a You Tube video and a Face book page, requesting to speak on radio and TV stations, entering the Radon Poster Contest, contacting local veterinarians requesting information placed on their websites on the radon effect on animals, educating all of the Waterloo Community School District 5 employees through an email, making a presentation at Southern Illinois University--Edwardsville to future science teachers, creating power point presentations to be shown to other classes, creating a spreadsheet to show the results of over 800 radon tests that have been performed by the science classes over the last several years, and requesting a radon message to be placed on the megaton at the Cardinals game in Busch Stadium. These are just some of the buzz of activities going on concerning radon in Waterloo Junior High in Waterloo, Illinois.

After discovering all of their efforts and the impact that it is making on our citizens, I immediately contacted Debbie Clinebell. It gave me such a thrill to meet her students and tell them that they are helping to save lives. I have shared the work and accomplishments of Debbie and her students with Illinois State Representative, Dan Reitz. Representative Reitz is now making a request of Oprah to feature radon and the work of Debbie and her students.

Debbie Clinebell received her master’s degree in science from Southern Illinois University and her Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Illinois. Debbie has been a junior high science teacher for 20 years and she is most proud of her students’ accomplishments.

Debbie and her students are making a difference!

2009-03-15T18:14:00.002-05:00

March 15, 2009

Dear Members of the Illinois Legislature,

CanSAR, Cancer Survivors Against Radon, is a group of individuals affected by lung cancer who discovered the fact that high levels of radon gas were present in their homes. We strongly support Illinois HB 4223, which recommends that every occupied school building of a school district be tested for radon.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that more than seventy thousand (70,000) schoolrooms in use today have high short-term radon levels and recommends that all schools nationwide be tested for radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer and is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Long-time exposure to radon can be deadly. The EPA indicates that 22,000 people each year die from radon-induced lung cancer.

The only way to determine if a radon problem exists is to test for it. Radon is a real threat, but the good news is that it can be fixed. All schools must be tested to determine if there is a problem; indoor radon is ranked among the most serious environmental health problems facing us today.

Radon is a naturally occurring gas, which seeps into buildings from the surrounding soil. It cannot be seen; it has no odor; it is tasteless; the only way to know if high levels of radon exist is by testing for it. Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that get trapped in the lungs as a person breathes. As these particles break down, they release small bursts of energy that can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over a long period of time.

Our Illinois students need a healthy environment in which to learn. Other states that already have a mandatory law in place to test schools and/or daycare facilities for radon include Connecticut, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Maryland, New Jersey, Virginia, and Rhode Island.

Radon is one health problem nobody should have to live with—at home or at school.

Gloria Linnertz

618 Evansville Ave.
Waterloo, IL 62298
618 830 4660
seascape@htc.net
VP, Cancer Survivors Against Radon

Request from Western Kentucky University Photojournalism Student

2009-03-12T09:08:00.006-05:00

The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force requests your assistance with the following request from Travis Garner. If you or anyone that you know could assist Travis with his thesis project, it would be appreciated.

Hello,
My name is Travis Garner. I am a senior photojournalism student at Western Kentucky University.

About Me:
- I am from Albuquerque New Mexico, and am currently in my fifth year at WKU. I have been a student of photography for most of my life, and a firm believer in the power of sound journalism. My goal is to share people’s stories with the world, truthfully, accurately and objectively. I believe in the power of using still photographs, audio and video to tell these stories, and I believe that when used properly, these stories have the power to evoke change. I am a human being first and foremost, and a journalist second.

About My Project:
- I am currently working on a project about radon as my senior thesis before graduating this spring. I am astounded that there is so little knowledge among the general public about the danger of radon exposure and how common it really is. I want to give the problem a face, a voice, and enough human emotion to force the world to care. I plan to show the different aspects of the dangers of radon, from the individuals and families who have been affected by it, to the lobbyists and legislators who refuse to acknowledge radon as one of the largest health risks in America today. There is no protection for our families, and most people are unaware that radon even exists. I want to change this. I will be working on this project throughout this spring and plan to publish it online in the form of a multimedia website at the end of the semester. I do not have any specific plans for print publication as of now, but the whole point of this is to evoke change, which can only be accomplished if the stories are shared.

How You Can Help:
- If you believe that the public needs to know about radon, and that our state and federal governments should take steps to help protect Americans from this problem, you can help. I am looking for families and individuals who would be willing to share their stories with me, so that I can in turn share them with the world around us. I hope to visit with, photograph and interview a number of people who can help me show why it is so important to make changes regarding radon policy in this country. People care about other people, but they can only care about what they are aware of. Help me make the public aware and together we can help save lives.

Thank you for your consideration,

Travis Garner
(505) 304-0574
travis.garner@wku.edu

Illinois HB4223 Testing Schools for Radon

2009-03-12T08:47:00.007-05:00

Representative Karen May introduced HB 4223 regarding testing schools for radon on February 27, 2009. The bill has been amended by the Elementary & Secondary Education Committee. The substance of the bill is as follows:

Adds a preamble. Replaces the amendatory provisions with provisions amending the School Code. Provides that it is recommended that every occupied school building of a school district be tested every 5 years for radon. Provides that it is recommended that new schools of a school district be built using radon resistant new construction techniques. Allows a school district to maintain, make available for review, and notify parents and faculty of test results. Requires the district to report radon test results to the State Board of Education. Requires the State Board to prepare a report every 2 years of the results from all schools that have performed tests, to be submitted to the General Assembly and the Governor. Provides that if IEMA exempts an individual from being required to be a licensed radon professional, the individual does not need to be a licensed radon professional in order to perform screening tests. Provides that if the results of a radon screening test are found to be 4.0 pCi/L or above, the school district may hire a licensed radon professional to perform measurements before any mitigation decisions are made. Provides that if radon levels of 4.0 pCi/L or above are found, it is recommended that affected areas be mitigated by a licensed radon mitigation professional with respect to both design and installation. Provides that a screening test may be done with a test kit found in a hardware store, department store, or home improvement store or with a kit ordered through the mail or over the Internet. Requires the kit to be provided by a laboratory licensed in accordance with the Radon Industry Licensing Act.

The time spent in school and home constitutes the majority of a student's day. Testing and taking action to reduce elevated radon levels in schools and homes will dramatically reduce exposure to this silent killer.

Status of the bill can be followed at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=4223&GAID=10&DocTypeID=HB&LegId=47094&SessionID=76

The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force thanks Representative Karen May and members of the committee for their work on this bill.

Another Non-Smoker With Lung Cancer

2009-02-04T09:23:00.003-06:00

The following information was in my Google Alerts this morning. This report from NBC26 is another reason that action is required to address the radon issue. Our best wishes go out to Cyndi and her family. Thanks for sharing your story.

There is also a video report at http://www.nbc26.com/Global/story.asp?S=9784211.

Cyndi Schmieder is 40 years old and has never smoked cigarettes in her life. "It was such a shock it was a whirlwind, it all happened so fast," Cyndi said. Two and half months ago, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. "And this is the type of cancer that is typical for smokers who are over 70 years old," said Schmieder.

After Cyndi was diagnosed with cancer, she hired professionals to test her home for elevated levels of radon. "We measured a 10.1 pCi/L," said her husband, Don. The Environmental Protection Agency says you should work to reduce the level of radon in your home if you test higher than 4 pCi/L because levels higher than that can be dangerous.

Since the test, Schmieders' hired the Neenah-based Radon Specialists to install a mitigation system. But, the family wishes they knew about their homes elevated levels of radon sooner. "According to my oncologist, it's my only risk factor because I am not old enough to have this kind of cancer," Schmieder said.

Radon is a radioactive gas that is colorless, and odorless. It seeps into your home from bedrock in the ground. All major health organizations like the Centers for Disease Control, the American Lung Association and the American Medical Association agree with estimates that radon causes thousands of preventable lung cancers deaths every year.

According to a study by the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, several counties in the Fox Valley rank low when it comes to radon safety. According to the study, Waupaca, Outagamie, Winnebago, Calumet, Fond Du Lac, and Kewaunee counties all have more than 10 percent of homes screened with elevated radon levels. The City of Menasha received an EPA grant, that allows them to sell radon tests for a minimal fee. Health officials there say that about 50 to 60 percent of homes tested in the city have levels above the U.S. EPA's action guideline.

The Schmieders' are hoping to push local officials for some kind of legislation that would make radon testing for people that buy or sell homes mandatory in their area.

AARST Newsletter February 3, 2009

2009-02-03T12:51:00.004-06:00

Following are portions of the current AARST newsletter. Everyone needs to be watching the progress of the Indoor Radon Hazard Reduction Act and be ready to act to garner support as needed.

The end of January was a productive week for American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) members and the larger professional radon community.

On January 28th, radon leaders and radon heros were recognized at the National Press Club in Washington and the next day a new phase of AARST's radon public policy initiative was launched by the Association in collaboration with Cancer Survivors against Radon (CanSAR, www.cansar.org).

NCSL Honors Illinois Rep. Dan Reitz

Last Wednesday night, at the National Press Club in an event co-sponsored by the AARST, CanSAR, Conference of Radiation Control Protection Directors (CRCPD), National Safety Council (NSC), National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) and EPA, CanSAR Vice President Gloria Linnertz presented an award from the National Conference of State Legislatures to Illinois State Representative Dan Reitz for his work in sponsoring the 2007 Illinois Radon Awareness Act.

Both Dan and Gloria are to be commended by initiating and passing the strongest state radon notification law (to date) in the nation.

Courage and Grace in Radon Leadership

That same night, CanSAR President Elizabeth Hoffman gave a motivating speech to the attendees. Hoffman recognized the important work of her fellow CanSAR members in attendance, and called on everyone in the U.S. radon community to increase their efforts to reduce radon risk through mandatory testing in home sales and more agressive radon policies both locally and nationally.

Her short presentation was very inspiring because Elizabeth announced that her lung cancer had returned for the third time and her prognosis is not good. As she announced that she was losing her personal battle against lung cancer, Elizabeth had the grace and courage to inspire us all to work harder. But it did not end there. The next morning Elizabeth lead the effort on Capitol Hill, her head in a beautiful scarf, as she talked to Senatorial staff on the need for stronger radon protection laws. She and the other Cancer Survivors Against Radon are making a definite impact on our nation's policy makers.

AARST President's Award

After Elizabeth spoke on Wednesday night, it was my pleasure, as the AARST President, to present our association's award to Dr. James Burkhart for his leadership in science and technology as well as his service as our Symposium Proceedings Editor.

Many of you have had the pleasure of participating in one of his radon classes. His award stands as recognition of not only his contribution but those who serve with him on the AARST Technical and Science Committee and the AARST Symposium Planning Committee.

As we plan the 2009 AARST International Radon Symposium, I encourage you to continue stating your opinions and suggestions of priorities how we shape the Symposium to strengthen your business of radon risk reduction.

National Radon Legislation Initiated by AARST

On Thursday and Friday of last week, CanSAR and AARST had a team on Capitol Hill that met with more than 12 key Senators, Representatives, and Congressional staff members to advocate the need for effective national radon policy in the U.S. including stronger funding of EPA, state, and tribal radon programs.

Members of that team included Gloria Linnertz, Barb Sorgatz, Marlene McEwan and Liz Hoffman from CanSAR, along with myself, Peter Hendrick, Dr. Burkhart and Julie Somis. We believe that by the beginning of March that we will have at least a dozen sponsors signed on to a comprehensive bill that will move radon policy beyond voluntary measures to truly meaningful risk reduction numbers.

Watch for details concerning the joint CanSAR, AARST, and American Radon Policy Council (ARPC; Dallas Jones, Chair) work on the Indoor Radon Hazard Reduction Act (IRHA) of 2009.

In February we will take two additional steps.

First, we will consult with other partners in the U.S. radon community to finalize the draft IRHA and to seek broad support this national initiative. These partners include the American Lung Association, CRCPD, NSC, and key home inspector associations. In addition, we will have another team going to Washington, D.C. to meet with an additional group of Senators. CanSAR members and AARST leaders will keep going back to Washington together until meaningful legislation is passed by this Congress.

As we get these details out to you in the coming weeks, please consider what you can do by expressing your support through your members of Congress, State Legislators, County Boards, and City Councils.

We have an opportunity to shape our collective future and to save lives from the risk of indoor radiation exposure from radon gas.

The Importance of AARST Membership

If you are not a current member, it is very important that you join AARST to have your voice heard. If you are an AARST member, please consider donating what you can to AARST and CanSAR to strengthen your voice in Congress and state legislatures.

Also, join your nearest AARST chapter to support initiatives on the state and regional levels.

CRCPD Honors Mike Pyles

Also, on Wednesday evening, January 28th, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD)recognized the leadership of Mike Pyles for the development of the Pennsylvania Radon Program and other state radon programs. When you look at strong state radon programs, you see strong communication and partnerships with AARST professionals in the field.

We need to continue to build those partnerships.

Additional details about the 2009 National Radon Action Month Awards Ceremony and others who were recognized may be found at www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/national-safety-councils-radon-awards,695028.shtml

In these tough economic times, the American Association of Radon Scientists & Technologists is taking the iniative to move radon policies into meaningful risk reduction. Please join us in this effort.

We're all working together to save lives.

Bill Angell
AARST President

When They Know, Radon Victims Have a Powerful Message

If you know of someone who has recently been diagnosed with lung cancer, AARST will send them a free radon test kit. Go to www.cansar.org and click on CanSAR Registry. Fill out the form and submit. A free test kit will be mailed in 3-4 weeks.

If the test reveals an average radon concentration at or above EPA's 4.0 pCi/L Action Level, they shouuld have it mitigated.

If they then contact CanSAR Vice President Gloria Linnertz at seascape@htc.net they can have their story posted on the CanSAR website. This may provide opportunities for all of us to convince others how important it is to reduce their radon exposure.

Perhaps their appeal will inspire legislators in your state to pass a Radon Awareness Act.

Dallas Jones,
Chair, American Radon Policy Coalition

Illinois Radon Poster Contest Announced

2009-02-03T07:43:00.001-06:00

Students ages 9-14 have an opportunity to win a trip to Washington D.C. for the National Radon Poster Contest. This is a fun, educational way to learn and share information about the health effects of radon.

University of Illinois Extension along with the American Lung Association of IL, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Radon Program, and Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago are partnering with the National Safety Council and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to sponsor this contest.

Those who participate will learn about radon and how to reduce the risk of exposure to radon in homes.

Radon is colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Fifty percent of Illinois counties are at high risk. The 2009 Illinois Poster Contest winner was from Southern Illinois.

Students should take their posters to their local Extension office on or before April 13, 2009. A state committee will select three winning posters for consideration for state and national competition.

Up to fifteen $50 savings bonds will be awarded to regional winners. Three state winners will receive a $100 savings bond and the posters will be submitted to the national competition.

The national winner, a parent, and a leader will win an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. to participate in the award ceremony in January 2010.

Specific about the contest is available at www.TakeActionOnRadon.uiuc.edu. Click on “Teacher Resources” and ‘National Radon Poster Contest”

The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force urges all school districts, 4-H clubs and other organizations to participate in the poster contest. Radon, a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas is the leading cause of lung cancer among smokers

Continue National Radon Action Month

2009-02-02T17:03:00.000-06:00

January was National Radon Action Month. January has ended but it is not necessary to stop taking action to stop a deadly killer – radon. Radon is odorless, colorless, and tasteless. The only way to know if your home has elevated radon levels is to conduct a radon test.

If homeowners didn’t test their homes in January as part of National Radon Action Month; February, March, April or any month would be a good time to test. Just be sure that a radon test is completed and action is taken to reduce elevated radon levels when found.

Radon test kits can be purchased on-line or at most home improvement centers.

Reducing elevated radon levels reduces lung cancer risk for all family members living in the house. The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force recommends that all houses be tested for radon and corrective action be taken to reduce elevated radon levels.

Green Socks Public Service Announcements

2009-01-26T10:48:00.004-06:00

The USEPA has released new PSA material as part of the Green Socks campaign. The TV, radio and press PSA material can be viewed at http://www.epapsa.com/campaigns/greensox/. The Southern Illinois Radon Awareness Task Force highly recommends that all radon professionals make the media outlets in their area aware of the Green Socks campaign and ask that the PSA's be placed in their public service rotation.

Radon Networking Day Award

2009-01-24T17:55:00.005-06:00

IEMA HONORS BARB SORGATZ

On Thursday, January 22, 2009, at the Radon Networking Day hosted by Illinois State University and Illinois Emergency Management Agency at ISU in Bloomington, Pat Daniels of the Nuclear Safety Division’s Radon Program representing the Illinois Emergency Management Agency presented Barb Sorgatz with the 2009 Illinois Excellence in Radon Award. The award praises Barb for achieving excellence in radon education and outreach.

Barb discovered in January 2007 that she had lung cancer. Barb is a never smoker so she searched the Internet and discovered that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers. Barb had been living with five times the EPA action level of radon in her home for 23 years. After her surgery, Barb had her home mitigated. The radon level is well below the EPA action level in her home now.

Although Barb maintains her full-time position with the Illinois Department of Human Services and her part-time position in admissions at Good Samaritan Hospital near her home in Glen Ellyn, IL, she has found the time to do a tremendous job of educating others of the danger of lung cancer from the inhalation of radioactive particles from radon gas which occurs as a result of the decay of uranium in the ground beneath homes and buildings. Barb has been interviewed by CBS in Chicago, a Hispanic TV new media and a Canadian television news media; she has been featured in numerous newspapers articles and magazines and trade publications. Barb has participated in a webinar concerning lung cancer and radon and posted her story on www.cansar.org and www.RadonLeaders.org. She has made public service announcements for Illinois Emergency Agency for Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November and National Radon Action Month in January. She has given numerous presentations for various groups such as the American Lung Association and the Respiratory Health Association of Metropolitan Chicago emphasizing the importance of testing homes for radon and mitigating if the level is high.

Later this month, Barb will travel to Washington, DC to educate legislators on the danger of radon gas and request federal action to be taken to protect our citizens against this silent killer—radon. Barb also received the President’s Citizen Leadership Award from the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists for significant Accomplishments in raising awareness of radon health risks for 2008.

Barb considers herself very fortunate to have discovered the lung cancer at a very early stage by accident. She had a portion of her lung removed and continues to go for checkups periodically. Barb knows that most lung cancer victims do not live long enough to become lung cancer advocates, so she says that if she can prevent just one person from becoming a victim of radon-induced lung cancer, all of her efforts are worthwhile.

Scientists and Investigators Call for Action

2009-01-22T06:41:00.005-06:00

Scientists and Investigators Cite Need for Radon Regulation to Prevent Lung Cancer- Call Current EPA Efforts Ineffective

A growing chorus of experts, including scientists testifying before the President's Cancer Panel, investigators at the U.S. EPA's Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and leading health organizations are urging the EPA Administrator to use regulatory authorities authorized by Congress to protect citizens from lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 22, 2009 -- A growing chorus of experts, including scientists testifying before the President's Cancer Panel and investigators at the U.S. EPA's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) are urging the EPA Administrator to use regulatory authorities authorized by Congress to protect citizens from lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure.

According to the 2008 OIG report entitled, More Action Needed to Protect Public from Indoor Radon Risks, efforts to reduce radon exposure through mitigation or building with radon-resistant new construction have not kept pace. "Nearly two decades after the passage of the 1988 Indoor Radon Abatement Act (IRAA), exposure to indoor radon continues to grow," states the report. "Given the Agency's limited progress from its voluntary approach for the past 19 years, it is time for the Agency to consider other means…EPA should assess how it can use the authorities granted in law to achieve long-term IRAA goals or identify alternatives for achieving the desired results."

In presentations to the President's Cancer Panel (PCP) last month, leading scientists and public health officials echoed the OIG's recommendations.

Dr. William R. Field, a professor and Epidemiologist at the University of Iowa told the panel, "There is precedent for legislating practices to limit exposure to toxins in construction. The prohibitive use of lead-based paint in the U.S. is an example. The requirement of radon-resistant construction methods, at an approximate cost of $500 per home, is cost-effective when one considers potential savings in health care expenditures from disease prevention."

Dr. James B. Burch, an epidemiologist at the Arnold School of Public Health, urged the panel for a national radon standard that is enforceable. Captain Susan M. Conrath of the U.S. Public Health Service (EPA) testified that voluntary efforts are not enough and suggests requiring testing during real estate transactions. Dr. Field stated in his presentation, "In a similar manner to smoking, where we are essentially allowing a 'bioterrorist within' to attack over a million Americans each year, radon is a 'dirty bomb' within our homes that attacks millions of people each year. Numerous cost/benefit analysies have clearly indicated that both mitigation of existing homes and adopting radon resistant new construction features can be justified on a national level."

But, according to the OIG report, "The potential loss of a sale represents a disincentive for real estate agents and sellers to conduct radon tests during real estate transactions. Added expense represents a disincentive for builders to use radon-resistant new construction."

Real estate agents have historically opposed proposed requirements for a radon test prior to purchase. According to the Associate General Counsel of the National Association of Realtors, testing for radon and/or disclosing test results during a real estate transaction adds an additional layer to an already taxing house buying process. This has created a disincentive for real estate agents and sellers to bring up radon issues during a sale. The representative said radon is not a high priority in many real estate transactions, and adding another step to the transaction process could be "a negative."

According to the OIG recommendations, "Government-sponsored enterprises such as the Federal Home Loan Bank System, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (also known as Freddie Mac), and Federal National Mortgage Association (also known as Fannie Mae) represent the largest source of housing finance in the United States. The construction of new homes financed or underwritten by these and other federal departments and agencies present a substantial opportunity to increase the number of homes built with RRNC or mitigated for radon."

"Between 10 percent and 14 percent of all lung cancer deaths per year may be attributable to radon," says Dr. Jay H. Lubin, Senior Health Scientist with the National Cancer Institute. "We're asking a few [those home buyers who voluntarily test to bear a societal burden for all mitigation. Relying on buyers also does nothing to solve the problem of radon in schools and other municipal structures."

Dr. Lubin writes in his testimony to the PCP that, "Radon is one of the most
extensively investigated human lung carcinogens. The diversity and consistency of the information indicates that the weight of evidence for radon carcinogenicity is overwhelming."

According to Dr. Field, if homes with radon levels above 2 picocuries per liter of air were mitigated, then about half of the radon-attributable lung cancer deaths could be prevented, but the current voluntary approach to risk reduction has been unsuccessful thus far.

"In the last half century, an estimated one million people in the United States have died from radon exposure, but the federal government still does not require radon testing prior to the sale of a home," says Sara Speer Selber. President of BuildClean, a non-profit organization dedicated to safe and healthy homes. "Congress needs to act."

Gloria Linnertz, of Cancer Survivors Against Radon, lost her husband Joe to radon-induced lung cancer in 2006. Since his death, Gloria seizes every opportunity to point out the need for radon legislation. "The seat-belt laws in our nation have saved thousands of lives. James Baldwin said, 'Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." Our governments--state and federal--need to face the fact that radon gas is present in every state and that it causes lung cancer that quickly kills people.'"

Kentucky Radon Update

2009-01-21T06:54:00.003-06:00

The following was released on PRWeb on January 21, 2009.

Radon Testing Results Indicate Serious Public Safety Issue in Kentucky
Information obtained from leading radon testing company indicates more than 50% of homes in 13 Kentucky counties contain radon levels in excess of the US Environmental Protection Agency action level of 4.0 Pico curies per liter of air (pCi/L). In 44 other counties, more than 20% of homes contain elevated levels. The national average is 1 in 15, or roughly 7%, of homes contain elevated levels.
Louisville, KY (PRWEB) January 21, 2009 -- The Kentucky Association of Radon Professionals (KARP) announced today that information obtained from the public website, radon.com, indicates many homes in Kentucky contain radon levels in excess of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action level of 4 Pico curies per liter of air (pCi/L). In 13 counties, more than 50% of homes contain elevated radon levels. In 44 counties, more than 20% of homes contain elevated levels. The national average is 1 in 15, or roughly 7%, of homes contain elevated levels.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that derives from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. The gas enters homes and other buildings through cracks in the foundation, sump pumps and soil in crawlspace areas. The EPA has determined that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking, and the leading cause among non-smokers. The US Surgeon General and National Academy of Sciences estimate that 21,000 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur in the United States each year.
"With Kentucky leading the country in lung cancer incidents, we see radon as a serious public safety issue that isn't getting the attention it deserves," says Kyle Hoylman, KARP President. "Our organization continues to work with the state radon office to promote consumer awareness, but more needs to be done," Hoylman continues.
The only way to know if a home contains elevated radon levels is to have it tested. Testing is easy and affordable. If a home is found to have a radon problem, fixing it is fairly simple and cost-effective. In fact, most radon problems can be fixed for a cost similar to that of many common home repairs, averaging $1,000 to $2,500.
"Our department numbers indicate an average of 47% of all homes in the Commonwealth contain elevated radon levels," says Clay Hardwick of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. "We join KARP in urging Kentucky families to test their homes for radon, and fix problems when found," adds Hardwick.
About KARP
The Kentucky Association of Radon Professionals is an organization consisting of responsible members of the radon testing, mitigation and laboratory analysis industries. Additional information about the organization can be found at: KentuckyRadon.org.
Radon Testing Results Information
Counties with elevated radon levels found in more than 50% of homes:
Clinton (50%) Estill (50%) Fayette (56%) Hart (71%) Jefferson (51%) Marion (58%) Meade (62%) Menifee (50%) Nelson (54%) Scott (59%) Warren (66%) Wayne (58%) Woodford (55%)
Counties with elevated radon levels found in more than 20% of homes:
Barren (35%) Boone (26%) Bourbon (40%) Boyd (28%) Boyle (41%) Breckenridge (33%) Bullitt (45%) Caldwell (28%) Casey (23%) Christian (40%) Clark (24%) Cumberland (35%) Floyd (28%) Franklin (34%) Garrard (20%) Green (37%) Greenup (32%) Hancock (21%) Hardin (48%) Harlan (22%) Harrison (28%) Hopkins (25%) Jessamine (43%) Larue (39%) Laurel (29%) Lawrence (20%) Lee (33%) Lewis (38%) Lincoln (39%) Logan (38%) Madison (34%) Mercer (35%) Metcalfe (20%) Monroe (29%) Montgomery (40%) Oldham (34%) Perry (25%) Powell (24%) Pulaski (48%) Rockcastle (33%) Shelby (24%) Simpson (27%) Taylor (42%) Todd (25%)
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