Limiting Radon Exposure Starts with a Test – Protect Environmental and the American Lung Association Partner to Remove the Cost Barrier to Testing Across the U.S.
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- During National Radon Action Month, the American Lung Association and Protect Environmental are breaking down barriers for homeowners to know their radon risk by providing no-cost professional radon testing services in key, high-risk areas. Since dangerous levels of radon have been found in every state and anyone can be at risk of exposure, low-cost test kits are available at a discount this month to empower everyone to take the first step to reduce their risk of radon-induced lung cancer for homeowners located outside their service area. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as much as 20% of all lung cancer cases happen to people who have never smoked, yet many people don't know that the air in their homes could put their lung health at risk. More awareness and testing are needed to end radon-induced lung cancer once and for all.
Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. every year and is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Any home or building can have dangerous levels of radioactive gas. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that rises through the soil and can enter your home through cracks in floors, walls, or foundations.
When inhaled, radioactive particles released by radon gas in your lungs can damage lung tissue and cause breakages and irreversible damage to lung cell DNA or cell mutations that can lead to cancer. Since there is no cure for lung cancer, proactive prevention is key. The only way to know your risk of radon exposure is to test.
On January 18, Protect Environmental will be releasing its second annual National Radon Risk Index™ (check out last year's here) which ranks communities by the known indoor radon measurements recorded using a database that represents more than 2.5 million data points compiled from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and internal radon testing data points provided by Protect Environmental.
"We discovered that my childhood home had high levels of radon when my father was diagnosed with lung cancer, even though he was a non-smoker," said Kyle Hoylman, CEO of Protect Environmental. "Our team is doing its part to reduce exposure to cancer-causing radon gas, but more awareness and action is needed to prevent this deadly disease across the U.S. That's why we have partnered with the American Lung Association to break down barriers to radon testing and to empower individuals to reduce their risk of radon exposure through no-cost professional radon testing and low-cost test kits."
To inspire action and end radon-induced lung cancer, the American Lung Association and Protect Environmental partner to provide professional no-cost radon testing in eight (8) key markets: (1) Chicago, IL; (2) Columbus, OH; (3) Denver, CO; (4) Detroit, MI; (5) Lexington, KY; (6) Louisville, KY; (7) New Jersey, and New York City, NY, and (8) Salt Lake City. Homeowners can request no-cost professional radon testing here. Through this initiative, a qualified professional will conduct a radon test using a certified active radon measurement device and will provide a detailed report to the homeowner upon test completion at no cost. If elevated levels are identified, the problem can be fixed through the installation of a mitigation system.
During National Radon Action Month, do-it-yourself radon test kits are also available nationwide at a reduced price to encourage everyone to know their radon risk. The kits include lab analysis from national and state-certified analytical laboratory RAdata, a Protect Environmental company. During January kits can be purchased at a reduced rate.
"Radon in homes is more common than you think. Unfortunately, most places in the country remain undertested, so this isn't something that should be taken lightly," said Deb Brown, Chief Mission Officer for the American Lung Association. "This is why the American Lung Association is proud to partner with Protect Environmental to offer free or low-cost radon testing for families. We urge everyone to test their homes for this cancer-causing gas."
During National Radon Action Month, everyone is urged everyone to:
1. Test Your Home for Radon: The EPA recommends that every home be tested for radon every two years. The colder months are the best time to test. If elevated levels are found, take action to reduce radon exposure by installing a radon mitigation system. Request a no-cost professional radon test or order your low-cost radon test kit low-cost radon test kit online today.
2. Talk to a Friend or Neighbor About the Risk of Radon. More awareness is needed to create safer indoor spaces. Protect Environmental developed the National Radon Risk Search™ Tool to help people learn about radon results in their zip code and better understand the potential health risks radon poses near them.
3. Encourage Schools and Workplaces to Test for Radon. Limit radon exposure in all the indoor spaces you spend time in. Any building can have elevated levels of radon and the long-term threat of lung cancer can impact anyone. For more information on protecting commercial buildings from radon, visit ProtectEnvironmental.com/Commercial.
4. Talk to your Doctor and Learn More About Your Risk. In many cases, radon-induced lung cancer is asymptomatic. When symptoms start to show the damage is irreversible. People who have never smoked make up one out of seven radon-related lung cancer deaths each year. If you believe you may have been exposed to elevated levels of radon, talk with your doctor about your options for lung cancer screening and early detection. Learn more at Lung.org/radon.
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About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, which has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and is a Platinum-Level GuideStar Member, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org. To support the work of the American Lung Association, find a local event at Lung.org/events.
American Lung Association • 55 W. Wacker Drive, Suite 1150 • Chicago, IL 60601
1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Ste. 1425 North • Washington, D.C. 20004 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) Lung.org
About Protect Environmental
Protect Environmental is a national leader in the environmental consulting and construction industry, focusing on radon and chemical vapor intrusion management. With a proven track record spanning 38 years and more than 200,000 completed projects in all 50 U.S. states and 2 U.S. territories, the company provides expert service from its trusted professionals to provide peace of mind protection to property owners seeking to build and maintain healthy, safe, and sustainable indoor environments. Join our rapidly expanding team, apply today. For more information, call 502-410-5000 or click on https://www.protectenvironmental.com.
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Media Contact
Andrea Stephens, Protect Environmental, 5026496870, [email protected], Protect Environmental
SOURCE Protect Environmental
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