Date Published: 10/04/2006 [Source]
Thousands of Illinois homes contain unsafe levels of a radioactive gas, while many others don't know if they face the same hazards, a new statewide study has found.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency said last week a two-year statewide study of radon levels by professional contractors found dangerous levels of radon in nearly half of 22,000 tested homes.
In more than 20 counties with mostly metropolitan areas, the levels of the odorless, tasteless and colorless gas that comes from uranium in soil were significantly higher than federal standards deem to be safe.
In another 80 counties - mostly in central and southern Illinois - there were either no professional tests or too few tests during the study period to reliably determine whether radon was a problem in the area.
All seven of these counties are listed in Zone 1 out of three zones.
According to Wil Hayes, director of environmental health for the Knox County Health Department, Zone 1 is at the greatest risk of high radon levels (above 4 pCi/L). He said the average radon level for this area is between 10 and 20 pCi/L. Zone 2 is moderate risk between 2 and 4 pCi/L and Zone 3 is low risk at less than 2 pCi/L.
Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer and kills more than 21,000 people nationwide each year, including up to 900 in Illinois, officials said. It enters homes through small cracks in foundations, sump pumps or soil in crawlspaces.
Officials urge homeowners to buy kits at local stores or hire licensed professionals to test for radon. More information about radon, the study and lists of licensed radon testers and treaters can be found at IEMA's Web site.
Testing kits are available at the Knox County Health Department for $5.
The study was conducted in 2003 and 2004 and includes only reports from licensed professional radon tests, not homeowner tests. It updates a report released by the state in 1992.