Environmental Health - Indoor Exposures
Indoor Exposures - Radon Radioactive Gas
Below you will find some links to common questions about Radon (Rn). You can also find useful information from the following websites:
- EPA: http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html
- US Geological Survey: http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/radonhome.html
- Radon and You: A Publication of the Montana Bureau of Mining and Geology
The 1993-2012 Missoula County Radon Study: See Missoula's Radon Levels
Radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.
You can't see radon. And you can't smell it or taste it. But it may be a problem in your home. Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. That's because when you breathe air containing radon, you can get lung cancer. In fact, the Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high. Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of radon because they breathe twice as fast as adults and take in more radon in relation to the size of their lungs.
What are the levels of Radon in Montana?- Radon in the Missoula Vicinity is a 12 page paper by Douglas Kikkert, R.S. retired from The Missoula City-County Health Department. It details results of radon testing in the Missoula area in 1989-1990. You can download it in PDF format or print it directly from this site.
- Average Radon Results In Missoula County - Area Maps and DEQ Contacts
- Radon and You: A Publication of the Montana Bureau of Mining and Geology
Why you should test for Radon?
- The only way to know the radon level in your home is to test. Homes next door to one another may and often do have very different levels of radon.
- Testing is inexpensive. Short-term radon test kits are available at some area hardware stores and at Missoula City-County Health Department, on the second floor at 301 W. Alder St.
- Mitigating radon is pretty straight forward. For no more than most other minor home repairs, sometimes for as little as $800-$2000, you can reduce radon levels in your home.
- Reducing radon levels can save a life. There is no "safe" level of radon, but bringing the radon levels in your home down to below 4 pCi/L can significantly reduce your family's risk of developing lung cancer.
The National Environmental Health Association maintains a listing of businesses that have passed tests for certification and offer radon mitigation services.
How do I Build a Radon-Free Home?
- EPA information on Radon-Resistant New Construction
RADON HOTLINE - 1-800-SOS-RADON
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