Radon program

Event Summary

Do you think you don’t have to worry about lung cancer since you don’t smoke?

Think again.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer deaths among nonsmokers in the United States, killing about 21,000 Americans each year. January is National Radon Action Month, and the Dickinson County Conservation Board is encouraging you to protect yourself and your family by getting your house tested.

“January is National Radon Action Month, in that winter is the best time to test your home for radon,” said Karess Knudtson, environmental education coordinator. “People need to know their radon number. We know many other numbers when it comes to our health --- blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.  Your home radon number is no exception.  If radon is present, there are mitigation measures that you can take to make your home a healthier environment.  By offering an informational program and testing kits for sale in the Nature Store within the nature center, we are here to help.”

Learn more about radon at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at the Dickinson County Nature Center in Okoboji. Knudtson will talk about the dangers of the gas and how to test for it in your home; then you can pick up a radon testing kit in the Nature Store for only $6.

Radon is an invisible and odorless gas that enters homes through cracks in a lower level. According to the American Lung Association, radon forms when uranium breaks down to radium and then to form radon. As radon decays, it releases radioactive byproducts that can cause cancer with prolonged exposure.

Only one in five homes has a problem with radon, but the only way to know if it affects your home is to test for it. Radon could affect you and none of your neighbors or all of your neighbors and not you --- you have to test!

A short-term test is set out to absorb and track radon in a building. It is then sealed and sent to a lab for analysis. If you have unsafe levels of radon, an EPA- or state-certified contractor can help mitigate the problem.

For more information about the radon program or the Dickinson County Conservation Board, call 712-336-6352 or visit www.dickinsoncountynaturecenter.com.

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Programs