Radonova Collaborates with Local Community to Promote Radon Testing

January is National Radon Action Month

During this month, the EPA encourages people to:

• Learn about the harmful effects of radon,
• Spread radon awareness, and
• Promote radon testing for your loved ones and community.

January is also National Blood Donor Month. January was proclaimed National Blood Donor Month in 1969 by President Richard Nixon to encourage volunteers to donate blood at a time when there is often a critical need.

Teaming Up For Radon

For the second year, Radonova, Inc. teamed up with the Illinois suburb of Lombard to provide radon test kits to blood donors during the Lombard Winter Blood Drive. “About 40% of the homes in Illinois have high radon levels,” said Zan Jones of Radonova, Inc. “We wanted to collaborate during the blood drive to spread awareness about radon in the community.”

According to the Town of Lombard, 102 pints of blood were collected during their Winter Blood Drives which can save up to 306 lives.

The EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month to increase awareness of radon, promote radon testing and mitigation, and advance the use of radon-resistant construction techniques.

Radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the #2 cause of lung cancer nationwide, according to the EPA. It is responsible for over 1,400 lung cancer cases in Illinois each year. Radon is a radioactive gas that forms from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rocks, and water. It seeps into homes and buildings from the ground through cracks in the foundation, sump pumps, and holes around floor joints and pipes. The gas produces harmful radioactive atoms that become caught in the lungs when people breathe.