Federal Partners Launch Action Plan to Protect People and Families from Radon
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and an important national public health issue. In response to this threat, leaders from agencies across the federal government have come together to develop a Federal Radon Action Plan. This Action Plan represents an historic interagency cooperation with the potential to reduce exposure to radon, including for people and families that do not have the resources to make the simple fixes necessary to protect their loved ones. The federal commitment made by EPA, General Services Administration and the Departments of Agriculture; Defense; Energy; Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; Interior; and Veterans Affairs will help focus efforts on radon reduction and mitigation in homes, schools and daycare facilities , as well as radon-resistant new construction. The Action Plan was announced by senior leaders from partner agencies at the National Healthy Homes Conference , held June 20 to 23, 2011, in Denver, Colo. Over this next year, the federal family will continue to work together to implement the Plan.
The Federal Radon Action Plan
For the first time, all interagency collaboration on radon has been brought under one-strategic approach. The Action Plan contains both an array of current federal government actions to reduce radon risks, and a series of new commitments for future action. To address the current reality of barriers to radon risk reduction, the actions implemented through this effort will:
- Demonstrate the importance, feasibility and value of radon testing and mitigation.
- Provide policy, administrative, and economic incentives to encourage those who have sufficient resources to test and mitigate, and provide direct support to reduce the risk for those who lack sufficient resources.
- Build demand for services from the professional, nationwide radon services industry.
With this Plan as a catalyst, industry and nonprofit ally organizations will be ready to build on and increase the impact of the ideas for action contained in the federal strategy. These complimentary efforts will create the demand needed for thousands of new jobs in the housing sector for radon testing, mitigation, and new construction.
Read the full text, “Protecting People and Families from Radon: A Federal Action Plan for Saving Lives (PDF),” (10 pp., 239 K, about PDF) to learn more about the federal government’s strategic approach to reduce radon risk in the millions of homes, schools and daycare facilities that it influences.
Why is EPA joining with other federal departments and agencies on this effort?
EPA and the Surgeon General recommend people test their homes for radon.
- Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and causes an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
- The presence of radon in your home can pose a danger to your family’s health because it is a natural radioactive gas that you can’t see or smell.
- When you’re ready to test your home, contact a local qualified Radon Tester. Radon kits also can be purchased online.
