Rural Iowans will soon have resources to combat radon exposure, thanks to a $15 million federal grant. The Marion County Public Health Department will spearhead the initiative, which aims to assist rural Iowans in limiting exposure in their homes by providing radon testing, mitigation, and training to certify more specialists.
Radon Exposure and Cancer Risk
Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency says all of Iowa is exposed to the highest potential for unsafe radon levels.
The Combat Cancer initiative will put the money it receives toward addressing three components of cancer, including lung cancer and radon exposure. The initiative will provide 30,000 radon tests, mitigation for 500 homes, and training for 28 measurement and 28 mitigation specialists annually.
Residents are encouraged to contact their local health departments to learn more about mitigation scholarships and qualifications. The first step will be using a Combat Cancer radon test, which will be available at most county health departments soon.
Original reporting: KCCI Des Moines — read the source article.
