WINNEMUCCA - January is National Radon Action Month and the Nevada Radon Education Program of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension (UNCE) will offer a free radon education program Wednesday, Jan. 16, at 7 p.m., at the Humboldt County Cooperative Extension office, 1085 Fairgrounds Rd., in Winnemucca. Radon test kits will be offered free at the presentations, as well as throughout the month at Cooperative Extension locations around the state.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is present in rocks and soil. It can accumulate in buildings and can cause lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from radon-induced lung cancer, killing more people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving, falls in the home, drowning or fires in the home. The EPA recommends citizens make reparations to homes if radon levels reach 4 picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/l) or higher. According to experts, living in a home with an average radon level of 4 pCi/l poses a similar risk of developing lung cancer to smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day.
"When compared to other causes of death, radon kills more people per year," said UNCE Radon Education Program Director Susan Howe. "Fortunately, this type of cancer is preventable and fixable."
Howe urged area residents to test their homes for radon. Simple and free short-term radon test kits can be obtained at the public presentation. Nevada residents can also obtain free short-term radon test kits now through Feb. 28 at the Humboldt County Cooperative Extension office, 1085 Fairgrounds Rd., in Winnemucca.
In Humboldt County, elevated radon levels have been found in nearly 27 percent of the homes tested, as 30 out of 112 valid test results were at or above the EPA Action Level of 4 pCi/l.
For more information on radon, radon testing, mitigation and/or building new homes with radon resistant features, call the Nevada Radon Hotline at 1-888-RADON10, or visit the UNCE Radon Education Program website at www.RadonNV.
This event is sponsored by UNCE Radon Education Program, which is working with the Nevada State Health Division and the EPA in a nationwide campaign to educate Americans about the dangers of radon exposure and encourage them to take action to protect their homes and families.
If you have questions about the physical access provided for the presentation, contact UNCE's Humboldt County Office at 775-623-6304.
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