Radon Information Sessions Set for Prowers County

Prowers County Public Health and Environment (PCPHE) is working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) in a nationwide campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of radon exposure and to encourage them to take action to protect their homes and families. In our community, PCPHE has free in home test kits available, throughout the year. 

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that is dispersed in outdoor air, but which can reach harmful levels when trapped in buildings. Scientists have long been concerned about the health risk of radon, but never before has there been such overwhelming proof that exposure to elevated levels of radon causes lung cancer in humans. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year. Radon is the leading second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. “However,” says Keith Siemsen from PCPHE “because you can’t see or smell radon, people tend to downplay the health effects and ignore the possibility that there might be a silent killer in their homes.” 

Testing homes for elevated levels of radon is simple and inexpensive.  Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors for a cost similar to that of many common home repairs and minor remodeling projects. 

Prowers County Public Health and Environment urges residents to take action by testing their homes for radon. Radon poses a serious threat to our community’s health but there is a straightforward solution.  As part of this initiative, PCPHE will be hosting public information and training sessions on radon and radon test kit use.  Free Radon Test Kits will be available at these sessions.  There will be two separate opportunities to attend each night on March 26, April 3, and April 5, 2012.   There will be one session from 5:15-5:45pm and a repeat session from 7 to 7:30pm in the Mezzanine of the Prowers County Annex Building located at 1001 South Main in Lamar. 

 For more information on radon, radon testing and mitigation, and radon-resistant new construction, call Prowers County Public Health and Environment at 719 336 8721 or visit our Web site on the Prowers County Home Page at www.proowerscounty.net or visit EPA’s Radon web site at www.epa.gov/radon.