New radon website feature provides more information about radon in
118,477 homes find more than 40 percent with high radon levels
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[January 30, 2013]
SPRINGFIELD -- Radon tests from
118,447 homes across Illinois found 41 percent had radon levels
above the recommended level for taking action. Information on home
radon tests conducted by professional radon measurement contractors
from 2003 to 2011 is now readily available on the Illinois Emergency
Management Agency's radon website,
IEMA recently updated the website to provide more information about
radon testing and mitigation done by professional contractors.
Visitors to the site can easily access information about the number
of radon tests conducted in their county and their ZIP code, the
number and percentage of homes above the action level, as well as
the average for each.
The site also includes information about the number of
radon-reducing systems installed in homes from 2005 to 2011 by
county and ZIP code. Those numbers are further broken down by the
type of systems installed -- active soil depressurization or
radon-resistant new construction.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency is highlighting the new
website feature as part of Radon Action Month throughout January.
"We recently added thousands of professional test results that
provide a better picture of radon in most parts of Illinois," said
IEMA Director Jonathon Monken. "We plan to add results from
do-it-yourself tests conducted by homeowners in the near future.
It's obvious that radon is a problem throughout Illinois, and we
encourage everyone to test their homes."
Monken noted that results from individual homes are not
accessible through the website.
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Radon is a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas that
comes from the radioactive decay of naturally occurring uranium in
the soil. Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the
U.S., and the leading cause among nonsmokers. It's estimated that
nearly 1,200 radon-related lung cancer deaths occur each year in
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established 4.0
picocuries per liter of air as the action level for radon.
More information about radon, including lists of IEMA-licensed
measurement and mitigation contractors, is available at
or by calling 800-325-1245.
Emergency Management Agency file received from
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information]