24 January 2024
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is calling for action from Kansans this January to address a deadly radioactive gas found in homes.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind smoking cigarettes, according to the KDHE. You can’t see or smell radon, but it can have a big impact on your indoor air quality, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Radon occurs from a breakdown of naturally occurring uranium in the soil, according to the KDHE. One-in-four homes in Kansas test high for radon. Tests can be purchased to find out if your home has high levels of radon gas.
“The risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure increases dramatically in people who smoke,” the KDHE said in a press release. “People who smoke or are exposed to secondhand smoke and are exposed to radon have a ten times greater risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure compared with people who do not smoke and are exposed to the same radon levels.”
More than 1,900 Kansans are diagnosed with lung cancer each year. About 1,500 Kansans die from lung cancer each year. The KDHE says the best way to lower risk of lung cancer is to never start or to quit smoking.
If your home tests high for radon, there are several methods to fix the situation, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
a vent pipe system and fan can be used to pull radon from underneath the house and vent to the outside.
increasing airflow in a house using fans and vents.
sealing cracks in floors and walls with plaster, caulk and other materials.
Tests should be performed again after changes are made. A Kansas Cancer Prevention and Control Plan guide from the KDHE can be found here. If you need a low-cost radon test kit, visit the K-State Extension office at 123 Umberger Hall, 1612 Claflin Road in Manhattan. To learn more about radon and tobacco, click here.
For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.