While most of the area outside of the mounatins is the lowest risk, not every house will be the same and testing should be considered. This is more of a concern for those in the zone from Wake Co. north and east, but still a possible risk to all. They sell low cost, easy-to-use test kits on line. I think I will be trying one or two soon. http://www.epa.gov/radon/zonemap/northcarolina.htm
Looks like to me that the yellow zones are considered the lowest priority. Orange and Red are generally intended to be indicate a higher degree of concern according to the website.
Yes, that is correct for the average, however the individual houses within even the yellow zone area can and will be different so testing is still considered prudent.
Everyone in my subdivision received a Carolina Water Service "Notice to the Public" (second one since October) stating that our water exceeds drinking standard for radon 226 & 228. Went on to say that a PE has been contracted to design a radiological treatment removal system for the subdivision. The plans will be submitted to obtain State approval for installation. Resolution is expected by end of 2nd quarter 2007. The letter says we can continue to drink the water. My question - is it really OK to drink the water? I drink it, and so do my 4 cats, plus any foster cats I have. That's a lot of water to lug home from the grocery store. Any advice?
I think radon is another one of those "invent myself a job" things. People lived in caves for most of human existance without fear of radon. Later they lived in mud huts, again without radon poisoning. Why is it in just the past couple of decades that, suddenly, we're afraid of going down in to the basement. Yep, some guy out of college said, "I need to make a million. I know, I'll say that radon is evil and I'll invent a way to protect people."
No, radon is a long term exposure risk and if you were a caveman who died before his 25th birthday you would not have a reason to be worried. If you are a person expecting to live to see 80 or 90 years, it IS a concern. Cancer is a disease of age, with the longer lifespan having more incidents of cancer almost by definition. http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html January is National Radon Action Month! - January and other cooler weather months are the best time to test your home for radon. Radon is a cancer-causing natural radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Its presence in your home can pose a danger to your family's health. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in America and claims more than 20,000 lives annually. EPA has launched a new series of television, radio and print public service announcements encouraging people to test and fix their homes for radon. During January, events nationwide will focus on testing and on fixing homes with a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more. Heed the Surgeon General's warning. Take action now to reduce your family's risk of lung cancer from radon!
It is a long term concern and this would be a short term exposure. The added risk would probably not be detectable in any risk assessment calculation. I would not worry about the cats as their lifespan is much shorter and the risk of exposure related problems is reduced. If you have a concern you and any other humans (or other long lived animals) could drink the bottled water to be safer.
http://www.epa.gov/radiation/radionuclides/radon.htm Radon (chemical symbol Rn) is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in soils, rock, and water throughout the U.S. It has numerous different isotopes, but radon-220, and -222 are the most common. Radon causes lung cancer, and is a threat to health because it tends to collect in homes, sometimes to very high concentrations. As a result, radon is the largest source of exposure to naturally occurring radiation. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon/rnwater.html A report released September 15, 1998, by the National Academy of Sciences is the most comprehensive accumulation of scientific data on the public health risks of radon in drinking water. The report was required by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). The NAS report (BEIR VI) issued earlier this year confirmed that radon is a serious public health threat. This report goes on to refine the risks of radon in drinking water and confirms that there are drinking water related cancer deaths, primarily due to lung cancer. The report, in general, confirms earlier EPA scientific conclusions and analyses for drinking water, and presents no major changes to EPA's 1994 risk assessment.
LOL good to see you...paying attention?! lol. i could see this being a concern...and not so much of a...'let's make a problem and find a way to fix it to make money'...i think it's just more of a discovery... like someone said earlier...it's not just by chance that we live to 80 now were as we used to only live to 30. but at the same time...i can sadly say i'm not in a rush to find out if i have a problem with radon. i think apathy is a worst killer.
