Date Published: 01/03/2020 [Source]
HSHS St. Elizabeth's Hospital has partnered with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the American Lung Association to distribute free radon detection kits to members of the community and provide free educational presentations about the impact of Radon on the public's health.
After the educational sessions, any remaining kits can be picked up on January 23 and 24 from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. at the front lobby (while supplies last).
What is radon? Radon is a colorless, tasteless and odorless naturally occurring gas that causes lung cancer. Radon can reside at dangerous levels inside homes, schools and other buildings.If your home test shows elevated levels of radon,you can fix the problem by having a radon mitigation system installed. A radon mitigation system consists of a vent pipe, fan and the proper sealing of cracks.
Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking. Radon-related lung cancers are responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths annually in the United States. As many as 1,160 Illinois citizens are at risk of developing radon-related lung cancer each year according to the IEMA and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).