[Durham INC] FW: County Extension Makes Radon Awareness a Priority this January

[Pat Carstensen]

FYI. 

Date: Wed, 9 Jan 2013 12:25:21 -0500
From: lists at durhamcountync.gov
To: pats1717 at hotmail.com
Subject: County Extension Makes Radon Awareness a Priority this January




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                Durham County Government
                Press Release
            
            
            
            
                
            
            
        
        
            
Durham County Extension Makes Radon Awareness a Priority this January 
Free Radon Testing Kits Available to Citizens Throughout January  Durham, NC - January 8, 2013-  
Durham, NC - January is National Radon Month. Next month, the Durham County Cooperative Extension Service will partner with the North Carolina Radon Program to provide county residents with a free radon test kit and raise awareness about the is invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas. Radon, referred to as the "silent killer," is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is released harmlessly from the ground into outdoor air, but it can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and buildings. 
 
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Since radon does not have an odor and is invisible, people tend to downplay the health effects and ignore the possibility that there might be a silent killer within the walls of their home.
 
"Some homes in this county have tested high for radon," said Deborah McGiffin, extension family & and consumer science agent for the Durham County Cooperative Extension Service. "Houses in the same neighborhood can have very different levels, so every home should be tested."
 
Testing homes for radon is simple and inexpensive. Radon test kits will be available for free during January from the NC Radon Program. "In 2012, 105 kits were given to Durham citizens. From those tests used and returned, four households learned radon is present in their homes." 
 
Kits can also be purchased at local hardware and home improvement stores. Should a home be found to have elevated levels of radon, the problem Kits can also be purchased at local hardware and home improvement stores. Should a home be found to have elevated levels of radon, the problem can be fixed by qualified contractors for a cost similar to that of many other home repairs. According to McGiffin, in the Durham area, the cost can range from $1,000 to $2,500 depending on the home. 
 
The NC Radon Program and the Cooperative Extension Service urges residents to take action during this year's National Radon Action Month by testing their homes for radon. Radon can pose a serious threat to our community's health, but there is a straightforward solution. 
 
For more information on radon and to receive your free radon test kit, please contact McGiffin at 919-560-0521, or via email at dmcgifffin at dconc.gov. For additional information, citizens can visit the NC Radon Program's website at www.ncradon.org.   
            
        
        
            
            
            
            
        
        
            
        
        
            
        
        
    
    
        
        
        
            
                
            
        
        
        
        
    
    








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