National Radon Action Month

January 4, 2012

Update Jan. 9: We now have a new supply of Radon test kits. Please stop by the Health Department's Environmental Health Division offices to pick up yours.

The Environmental Health Division of the Mansfield/Ontario/Richland County Health Department wants county residents to take advantage of “National Radon Action Month” and test their homes for the presence of radon gas. The Health Department is making radon test kits available for free.

Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the soil. It is odorless, colorless and chemically inactive, a natural product of the disintegration of uranium. Radon usually does not present a health risk outdoors because it is diluted in the open air. Radon can, however, build up to dangerous levels inside a house. One out of every 15 homes is estimated to have high radon levels. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking) in the United States, causing more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths annually.

Matt Work, Director of Environmental Health at the Health Department, says the home testing kits are the best way for a home owner to find out if he/she has a problem and take steps to control exposure at home if necessary.

“If a reading of 4.0 picocuries per liter of air or higher (the EPA suggested action level) is indicated by the initial short term test, we recommend a second, longer term test to properly evaluate the extent of the problem.” Work said. “In most cases the control measures are reasonably inexpensive such as improving air circulation, sealing of cracks in basement floors or walls, and venting of sumps.”

The initial screening test takes 3-7 days to run and results are reported within 5-7 days of sample submission. Work notes that the Health Department can provide consultative assistance with interpretation of the results and a follow up plan if needed.

Radon test kits (one per home), as well as informative flyers about Radon and Indoor Air Quality, are available through the Environmental Health Division at the Health Department, 555 Lexington Avenue in Mansfield. 

A “Citizen’s Guide to Radon” is available through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website at www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citiguide.html

We can bill Medicare and Medicaid for your approved medical services. Our medical clinic services are available on a sliding fee scale based on your income. These sliding fee clinic services are provided using levy tax dollars.