After Linda D’Agostino discovered she had lung cancer, she received a second shock: The radon level in her home was 87 pCi/L – well above the 4.0 level at which the U.S. EPA recommends fixing your home.   As a result of both of these discoveries, she has become an advocate of home radon testing.   See [...]

Before closing on a house, it’s good to know as much about it as possible. That’s why many different kinds of inspections are important. Those inspections can help you make sure the structure is sound and is worth your investment, but they also should tell you that this house can be a healthy place to live.

The EPA, as part of its ongoing efforts to encourage Americans to test their homes for radon and fix them when radon levels are elevated, asked for 30-60 second video submissions with the theme “Radon: Test, Fix, Save a Life.”

Did you know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer?  Radon is estimated to cause many thousands of deaths each year. Radon occurs naturally in the ground and can seep into homes and buildings, negatively impacting your lungs and, ultimately, your life.  
The American Lung Association (ALA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts [...]

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas which often goes undetected. Radon claims an estimated 21,000 lives each year in the United States alone, and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to the EPA.  Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) drastically reduced its recommendation regarding the amount of radon from natural [...]

Most of us have heard about the danger of radon in your home. Its effects can be deadly. Long-term exposure to the radioactive gas can be as harmful to your lungs as smoking.  But, what about pets?  Is your family dog or cat at risk of radon exposure?  Here’s what you need to know.
[...]

Radon in the air is a relatively well known phenomenon, but did you know that our other most vital resource, – water – can also be contaminated with radon?  In 1996 the U.S. government passed the Safe Drinking Water Act Amendments to “establish several new, health-based drinking water regulations, including a multimedia approach to address [...]

With an increasing awareness of the dangers of radon in new buildings, more and more states are adopting Radon Resistant New Construction (RRNC) guidelines.  According to the EPA, “All of the techniques and materials (needed during the radon resistant new construction process) are commonly used in home construction. No special skills or materials are required [...]

Where is the Outrage?
Secondhand smoke is estimated to cause 3,400 lung cancer deaths annually in the U.S. So far, swine flu has killed 4 Americans, and drunk driving kills about 13,000 people each year.  Radon is estimated to cause 25,000 U.S. lung cancer deaths annually.  Laws protect citizens from secondhand smoke and drunk drivers, and [...]

Gloria Linnertz, a spokesperson for Cancer Survivors Against Radon  and The American Association of Radon Scientists & Technologists, Inc. is encouraging people to write to their congressmen and women to ask them to work for effective radon policies that save lives.  The following is an open letter that can be personalized to encourage your senator [...]