Date Published: 01/20/2020 [Source]
January is Radon Action Month. The Illinois Emergency Management Agency works with students to increase public awareness. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States behind cigarette smoking.
Radon is a gas that is naturally produced in the soil. It is colorless, odorless and can get into homes and buildings through small foundation cracks. It can also come through sump pumps and crawl spaces.
Patrick Daniels is the radon program manager at IEMA. He said educating middle and high school students through statewide poster and video contests could help get the information over to their parents.
"The kids make posters about radon. There are some specific rules that are available -- we partner with the American Lung Association to do that contest. Those rules are available on their website," he said.
"It enters our homes because the homes are at a lower atmospheric pressure than outdoor atmospheric pressure. So, it doesn't matter whether you have a home with a basement, a home with a crawl space or your home is a slab on a grade that sits directly on the soil," said Daniels.