January is Radon Action Month

Livingston County Health Department Acknowledges January as Radon Action Month
HOWELL, Michigan. – (January 3, 2023) January is National Radon Action Month – an opportune
time for Livingston County residents to test for radon in their homes, a health risk facing
millions of Americans.

Because families are spending more time indoors during the winter months, January is a good
time to test for this radioactive, invisible, odorless gas. Exposure to radon is the second leading
cause of lung cancer in the United States. The EPA estimates that approximately 21,100 lung
cancer deaths each year are radon-related. Radon comes from the natural (radioactive)
breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water and gets into the air you breathe. Radon enters
buildings through openings in the foundation floor or walls (sump openings, crawlspaces,
floor/wall joints, cracks, etc.). Radon can become trapped in buildings and lead to elevated and
harmful radon levels.

One in eight Michigan homes is likely to have an elevated radon level. According to a study
conducted by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (formerly the
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality), radon is present in elevated levels in about
40% of Livingston County homes. Radon is tasteless, odorless, and colorless, and it has no
warning symptoms (it does not cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, etc.). Testing is the only way
to know if you and your family are at risk for health issues caused by radon.

The Livingston County Health Department (LCHD) has short-term radon test kits available free
of charge during the month of January. Test kits can be picked up at the Environmental Health
Division office, located at 2300 East Grand River Avenue, Howell, MI, 48843. Kits may also be
picked up at participating local city and township offices, while supplies last:
• City of Brighton,
• Brighton Township,
• Deerfield Township,
• Genoa Township,
• Green Oak Township,
• Hamburg Township,
• Hartland Township,
• City of Howell,
• Marion Township,
• Putnam Township, and
• Tyrone Township.
Test kits can also be purchased from LCHD, local hardware stores, home improvement centers,
some supermarkets, or directly from Radon test kit provider throughout the year.
The EPA recommends that houses with radon levels of 4 picocuries per liter or more be fixed to
prevent accumulation of the gas indoors. Radon problems can be fixed by qualified contractors
for a cost like that of many common home repairs, such as painting or having a new water heater
installed (anywhere from $500 to about $2,500).

For more radon information, contact LCHD at (517) 546-9858, or the State of Michigan Radon
Program at 1-800-RADON-GAS. Radon information can also be accessed via the web at
https://www.livgov.com/health/eh/Pages/radon.aspx or www.michigan.gov/radon .

CONTACT:
Courtney Rynkiewicz, Public Information Officer
Livingston County Health Department
(517) 546-9850
crynkiewicz@livgov.com
www.lchd.org
https://www.facebook.com/myLCHD