According to a new study released by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, 42 percent of Illinois homes tested positive for excess levels of radon from 2003 to 2007.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas. It has no color, odor or taste and results from the decay of uranium, which is a radioactive element found naturally in the earth’s crust.

 

For the study, analysts looked at the results of radon tests performed by professional contractors and homeowners from 2003 to 2007.

Prolonged exposure to radon can cause lung cancer. Statistics have shown that exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, radon exposure accounts for 7,000 to 30,000 deaths annually.

 

January is the National Radon Action Month. The aim of this month is to increase the public awareness of radon, encourage people to test their homes and to educate them about the dangers of radon.

 

The gas produces particles that can enter the lungs and expose them to damaging radiations as it decays. Currently, government policies in the UK concentrate on searching homes with high levels of radon and warn their owners of the danger they’re facing. Radon levels can change daily, weekly and seasonally. Experts recommend a test of three to 12 months because it gives the most accurate measure of actual exposure. Radon testing should be done in the lowest level of living space in the house, ideally in a living room, office or bedroom.

 

The EPA has set 4.0 pCi/L as the action level for radon. The organization also emphasizes the effects radon can have on children as part of the Healthy Homes program. They are more exposed to radon as their lungs are smaller and their respiratory rates are twice as high.