At least half of the homes in Iowa have radon gas levels above the EPA’s action level according to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. Ben Huntley, the Environmental Health Specialist for Emmet County, says radon is a radioactive gas formed by the decay of uranium in the soil.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U-S.
The rate of new cases of lung cancer IN IOWA is significantly higher than the national rate. According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, most counties in the United States have stable or declining rates of lung cancer, but in Greene, Clark, Appanoose, Van Buren, and Winnebago Counties in Iowa new lung cancer cases are still rising.
Huntley says if your home has high levels of radon, there are systems available to get the gas out.
Starting this month — which is National Radon Action Month — the Iowa Department of Human Services and the American Lung Association are offering free radon test kits to Iowa residents while supplies last.
