Radon Action Month
January is Radon Action month and the Kent County Health Department is giving away free radon test kits.
The Kent County Health Department (KCHD) is offering free radon test kits to Kent County residents while supplies last. You can’t see, smell or taste radon but the radioactive gas can kill. Next to smoking, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States claiming the lives of more than twenty thousand Americans every year, according to the U.S. Surgeon General.
KCHD recommends that all homes should be tested for radon every few years. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as national Radon Action Month, a perfect time for you to protect your family by testing your home. Testing is the only way to know if radon is present in your home.
Listen and Learn: A Matter of Public Health
The Podcasting Service of the Kent County Health Department
Description: What is radon and why do you need to be concerned about it? Do have radon in my home? You will be surprised when you learn the answers to these and many more questions. Guests on this episode include Dr. Adam London, Administrative Health Officer at the Kent County Health Department, Brendan Earl, KCHD Supervising Sanitarian and Aaron Berndt who is the Indoor Radon Specialist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
For more information about Radon:
www.cdc.gov/features/protect-home-radon/
www.epa.gov/radon
Description: In this episode we learn how radon levels can be dealt with through mitigation. Guests on this episode include Brendan Earl of the KCHD. He underscores the importance of testing. Aaron Berndt, the Indoor Radon Specialist for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, will us through the steps you need to take after you have discovered radon in your home. Nancy Bredhoff, President of the National Radon Safety Board (NRSB). The NRSB offers independent certification and accreditation for radon mitigation specialists. Bredhoff shares valuable information about choosing a contractor and the costs of mitigation. Communications Manager for the Western Michigan Better Business Bureau, Troy Baker has information for consumers to avoid hiring the wrong contractor.
“Testing for radon is an easy and important step in protecting the health of your family,” says Brendan Earl, Supervising Sanitarian with the Kent County Health Department. “The kit is easy to use. Simply hang a filter inside your house for a few days, then send it in a self-addressed, pre-stamped envelope for testing.”
Residents using the kits and the State of Michigan’s Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy will both receive the results. People can use the information when deciding on how best to pursue remediation, and the state gains a better understanding of the prevalence of radon in Michigan. For help understanding the test results, please contact the KCHD Environmental Health Division at 616-632-6900.
Radon occurs naturally in the ground. It seeps into buildings through cracks or openings in the foundation of floors and walls. It occurs in both new and old homes. The EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey have developed a map of risk zones for the United States. You can view the risk maps by clicking here. Kent County is typically categorized as having a moderate to high levels of radon.
The kits are available Monday – Friday from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm only at the Kent County Health Department’s main clinic location at 700 Fuller Avenue NE, Grand Rapids Only one kit will be given per household.
