LENEXA, Kan. – This is National Radon Action Month. The Environmental Protection Agency says radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that cannot be seen or smelled, is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the U.S. and is responsible for about 21,000 U.S. deaths each year.
“Radon gas…is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmoking Americans,” said EPA Region 7 Administrator Meg McCollister.
Radon testing kits can be found online or in home improvement stores.
Background
Most homes throughout EPA Region 7 are located in areas designated as EPA Radon Zone One or Two, indicating high or moderate potential for elevated radon levels. EPA Region 7 encompasses Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and nine tribal nations.
A map of EPA Radon Zones was developed in 1993 to identify areas of the U.S. with the greatest potential for elevated indoor radon levels, based on indoor radon measurement data, geology, aerial radioactivity, soil parameters, and foundation types. To view a map of EPA’s Radon Zones in your state, visit: www.epa.gov/radon/state-maps-radon-zones
For information on the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services’ radon program, visit: https://health.mo.gov/living/environment/radon/index.php