FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 6, 2024
Contact: Black Hawk County Public Health
Phone: (319) 291-2413
publichealth@blackhawkcounty.iowa.gov
Black Hawk County Public Health Schedules Radon Testing Events
January is Radon Awareness Month. Radon is the number one cause of non-smokers’ lung cancer, and number two cause of lung cancer overall. Five out of seven homes in Iowa have dangerously elevated levels of radon, yet many Iowans remain unfamiliar with radon, its health risks, and how to fix elevated indoor levels.
This month, Black Hawk County Public Health will provide radon education and sell short term radon test kits for $12.50 at the following locations:
LOCATION DATE TIME
· Cedar Falls Library January 24 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
· Habitat Re-Store Waterloo January 28 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Radon kits are also available during regular business hours at Black Hawk County Public Health, 1407 Independence Avenue, 5th Floor, Waterloo.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, radioactive gas produced from the decay of naturally occurring uranium in the soil. Radon enters homes and buildings through foundation cracks, construction joints, sump pits, and other openings. Indoor radon levels can be very high. When radon is breathed in, it can damage the lungs and cause lung cancer.
The only way to know if a home has high levels of radon is to test the home. If radon levels are found to be dangerously elevated, it can be fixed through mitigation.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s radon action level is 4 picoCuries/Liter(pCi/L). The average indoor radon level in Iowa is more than six times the national average. An estimated 400 lives are lost in Iowa each year due to radon-induced lung cancer. That is approximately the same number of lives lost in traffic accidents in Iowa each year.
For more information about radon or to purchase a radon test kit, stop by one of the awareness events in January or visit the Black Hawk County Public Health website: bhcpublichealth.org.
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Black Hawk County Public Health exists to ensure that people in our community have equitable opportunities and resources to lead healthier, more fulfilling, and longer lives. Established in 1969, the health department's mission is to protect people in our community from health hazards, promote healthy behaviors, and prevent disease. Black Hawk County Public Health was accredited by the National Public Health Accreditation Board in 2022. For more information about health department services visit the Black Hawk County Public Health website.