Recent reports in the New York Times,
as well as other pulbications site that granite countertops emit
radon gas. One such report even went so far as to 'claim'
that they had seen counter tops emitting so much radon that you
could cook popcorn. Read below.
The facts:
- Radon does exist to some degree in EVERY home!
- Radon is a proven carcinogen (cancer causing agent) and if
present in levels above what is deemed safe, it should be
addressed immediately
- Countertops may emit Radon gas, but it is the
overall concentration of Radon gas inside a
structure that is important; not what is emitted from a
countertop
- Radon levels that are high can be easily mitigated.
- According to the Surgeon General of the United States, all
homes below the 3rd floor should be tested for Radon levels
- Radon lung cancer deaths exceed the number of deaths from
auto accidents each year. Including people who have NEVER
SMOKED in their life.
- SOS is certifed in Radon and can help you sort out the
reality from the hype.
Radon exposure can be
serious.
Radon DOES CAUSE CANCER
Find out about how Radon Gas enters your
home.
The World Health Organization ("WHO")
and the US Department of Health and Human Services, as well as
EPA, have classified radon as a "Class A" known human
carcinogen (proven cause of cancer);
-
Test your home for radon
-
Fix your home if your radon level is 4
picoCuries per liter (Ci/L) or higher.
-
Radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a
risk, and in many cases may be reduced.
Radon is said to cause thousands of lung cancer
deaths in the U.S. each year!
* Radon is
estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year,
according to EPA's 2003
Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA
402-R-03-003). The numbers of deaths from other causes
are taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's
1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Report
and 2002 National Safety Council Reports.
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 than
Radon!
If you smoke and your home has high radon levels,
your risk of lung cancer is specially high.
Radon can be
found all over the U.S., including Southern
California
Radon comes from the natural (radioactive)
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and gets into the air
you breathe. Radon can be found all over the U.S. It can get into
any type of building - homes, offices, and schools - and result in
a high indoor radon level. But you and your family are most likely
to get your greatest exposure at home, where you spend most of
your time.
You should test for radon. Testing is the
only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon.
EPA and the Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the
third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in
schools.
You can fix a radon problem.
Radon
reduction systems work and they are not too costly. Some radon
reduction systems can reduce radon levels in your home by up to
99%. Even very high levels can be reduced to acceptable
levels.
