Public Health Risk Prevention Presented to Kane County Public Health - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Public Health Risk Prevention Presented to Kane County Public Health Committee January 21, 2014 Theresa Heaton Health Promotion Division Kane County Health Department Radon is an indoor air pollutant. Radon is a colorless, odorless

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Public Health Risk Prevention

Presented to Kane County Public Health Committee January 21, 2014 Theresa Heaton Health Promotion Division Kane County Health Department

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 Radon is an indoor air pollutant.  Radon is a colorless, odorless

radioactive gas that comes from naturally occurring uranium in the soil.

 Radon gas seeps into homes where it

can be inhaled.

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Radon enters through any opening between the building and the soil. uranium radium radon

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

Foundation Wall Joint



Crawlspace



Sump Pits



Cracks in Floors



Utility Penetrations

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

Every county in Illinois has had a high radon test



36% of the homes according to the Status Report for Radon in Illinois are above the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) Action Level.

US EPA Radon Map

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 US EPA’s 2003 “Assessment of Risks from

Radon in Homes” estimates radon causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year.

 The Illinois Emergency Management Agency

(IEMA) and the US EPA estimate that as many as 1,160 Illinois citizens are at risk of developing radon related lung cancer each year.

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Average Indoor Radon Concentration by County

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56% 44%

At or below 3.9 pCi/L At or above 4 pCi/L

Nearly half of the 10,495 Kane County homes & buildings tested between 2003-2011 show high levels of radon (4pCi/L or higher)

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136 157 209 408 91 294 260 1953 61 116 39 56 1379 1421 507 29 160 103 139 690 1257 21 83 524 399 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 2200 Number of buildings tested Number of buildings had high level Number of buildings mitigated

Total number of buildings tested, found to have high level and mitigated for radon between 2003 and 2011 in Kane County

Year measured or mitigated Source: Illinois Emergency Management Agency,

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Comparative Risk Assessments by EPA and its Science Advisory Board have consistently ranked Radon among the top four Environmental risks to the Public

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800 1,000 21,000 15,800 4,800 3,300 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 Radon Falls Poisoning Fires Choking Drowning

Average annual deaths in U.S. by household hazard

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 The only way to know the radon

level in a building is to test: The

ccupant can do this or can hire a

professional licensed by the IEMA Radon Program

 Basement, crawl space, slab on

grade or foundation combinations can have a radon problem.

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TESTING IS EASY AND INEXPENSIVE

TEST KITS FOR PURCHASE

Numerous retail locations:

Kane County Health Department

Aurora, and Elgin Illinois

Kane County Development Department Geneva, Illinois 60134

FREE TEST KITS for

Income-eligible residents through Community Contacts Inc. in multiple locations throughout Kane County

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 IEMA recommends

first testing with a short term test.

 Less than 90 days,

but usually between 2-7 days.

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 The US EPA set an action level for indoor radon

concentration of 4.0 picocuries of radon per liter of air (pCi/L).

 IEMA provides a list of Professional Radon

Mitigators trained to reduce radon levels.

 Professional Radon Mitigators and Technicians

must meet specific requirements to obtain a license with IEMA.

*A Citizen’s Guide to Radon (2005).

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 Collecting radon prior to its entry into the building

and discharging it above the highest eave.

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 New! Licensed Child Care Centers and

Child Care Homes must test for radon and notify parents of results each time they seek licensure renewal.

 The Kane County Healthy Places Coalition is

launching a new tool kit for child care centers to use when they announce their radon testing that encourages parents to test their homes too!

 The Kane County Healthy Places Coalition has

ffered free test kits to income eligible

residents for nearly two years.

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 New! Radon-resistant new construction

(RRNC). New home construction must have passive radon “pipes” installed.

 However….Many Kane County builders

have been educated about radon and have already adopted these policies. Since 1994 more than 1/3 of new homes built in Kane County have been built using Radon- resistant techniques.

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The Illinois Radon Awareness Act and the Illinois Real Property Disclosure Act require that a seller of a home disclose information if aware of unsafe concentrations of radon in the home. Many relocation companies and lending institutions, as well as home buyers, request a radon test when purchasing a home. Home buyers are strongly encouraged to request a radon test prior to purchase.

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 Promote radon testing among all Kane County

residents, including free testing!

 Educate the public through our volunteer

speakers bureau –with on online system to request a speaker!

 Launch our new physician tool kit to engage

doctors in promoting radon testing!

 Begin to partner with car seat technicians to

promote radon testing!

 Engage youth in annual Illinois radon video and

poster contests!

 Support child care centers in promoting testing!