Officials Spread the Word About Health Risks of Radon Gas

March 26, 2015- A household problem like mold in the basement may be hard to ignore, but radon is easy to miss because the gas has no color, taste or odor.

But if high concentrations of radon collect in a house, the gas becomes a major concern. Public health experts are trying to get the word out: For non-smokers, radon is the No. 1 cause of lung cancer, and it's preventable.

Radon is a soil gas that forms naturally as uranium and other core elements decay. Outside, the gas is everywhere at low levels and it seeps up from the ground into homes. The gas can collect in homes, and higher levels tend to be present during the winter months, when there is less ventilation.

As radon breaks down, some of the castoff particles float in the air, and we inhale them. Those radon decay particles that settle on the lungs are radioactive, which means they emit low-dose radiation. Public health officials are advising that every household be checked.

Read the full newsworks.org post here.

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