Radon: cause of cancer
I don't want to let January slip by without noting that January is Radon Action Awareness Month. Why do you care? Because radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer, causing roughly 21,100 such deaths per year. Many of those who die have never smoked.
Radon comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. It can get into the air in your home through cracks in foundations and basements, and through floor drains. Particularly during winter, when doors and windows are closed, it can build to unhealthy levels in homes.
The Guilford County Department of Public Helath says that if you have not previously had your home tested for radon and are interested in testing your home, please call Sandy Ellington at 641-6704. Free radon testing kits will be distributed to interested citizens while supplies last, through the department's Environmental Health Division.
For more information about radon, you can follow this Environmental Protection Agency link.