FREEHOLDERS TO DISTRIBUTE 95 RADON DETECTORS AT WOMEN’S HEALTH CONFERENCE
For Immediate Release: February 27, 2008
Contacts: KEN SHUTTLEWORTH 609-472-8837 (cell)

A total of 95 radon detectors will be distributed on a first-come basis at the Ninth Annual Camden County Women’s Health Conference on Saturday.

Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez said distribution of the detectors is part of the county’s cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s radon awareness program.

“The DEP’s radon section provides this type of outreach assistance to promote radon testing in homes, and the Women’s Health Conference – with its estimated 2,000 participants – is the ideal place to give the detectors to county residents,” Ms. Rodriguez said.

She said the detectors will be available at the exhibit sponsored by the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, one of 70 booths in the exhibit hall. There are also 70 workshops focused on women’s health as part of the all-day event described in detail on www.camdencounty.com.

Ms. Rodriguez, who oversees the health department, said the county is “pleased to cooperate with the DEP in this program to ensure that all residents are aware of the need to test homes and reduce radon levels where necessary.”

“Testing is the only to know if you and your family are at risk,” Ms. Rodriguez added. “Radon testing is easy and problems can be mitigated.”

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when uranium breaks down in the soil and in rock formations. Small amounts of uranium are found in nearly all soils and rocks. Radon gas moves up throughout the soil and finds its way into homes through cracks in the foundation and openings around sump pumps, pipes and drains.

High radon levels are associated with a greater risk of lung cancer. Radon is the leading cause of ling cancer for non-smokers. Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer resulting in approximately 21,000 deaths in the United States per year. It is recommended that homes be mitigated if they have radon concentrations of 4 pCi/L or more.

There is no truly “safe” level of radon since lung cancer can result from very low exposures to radon; however, the risk decreases as the radon concentration decreases. If your test result is less than 4.0 pCi/L, you may want to discuss with mitigation companies whether the radon level can be brought down still further. In about half of the homes that have been mitigated in New Jersey, radon levels have been brought to less than 1 pCi/L.

Homeowners who tested in the past and found low levels of radon may wish to retest to determine if radon concentrations may have changed, due to changes in air flow within the house from new additions or other renovations, or due to new construction nearby that may have caused changes in the local geology.

In addition to teat kits provided by Camden County, the DEP’s Radon Section at (800) 648-0394 or www.njradon.org can provide a list of state –certified companies that provide testing services or do-it-yourself test kits, as well as companies that provide radon remediation services.

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