DISCLAIMER: Lifetime Radon Solutions is a partner of Newsradio 620 WTMJ & Good Karma Brands, and is endorsed by Wisconsin’s Afternoon News co-host Greg Matzek. If you are interested in scheduling a free radon test from Lifetime Radon, click here.
MILWAUKEE — When a lung cancer diagnosis comes to fruition, many people assume it’s related to smoking cigarettes, but that’s not always the case. The leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers is radon, a dangerous noble gas that thrives in soil.
Wisconsin’s Afternoon News welcomed Jeremy Clausing from our partners at Lifetime Radon Solutions to discuss the issue and raise awareness as we enter the beginning of Lung Cancer Awareness Month in November.
“Wisconsin has some of the highest radon levels in the entire nation. Specifically, it’s because of the soil content that were have in Wisconsin that is high in uranium,” Clausing explained. “Over time, when uranium decays, it off-gases into a form called radon, which gets up through cracks and crevices. Some [seeps] into our basement, where it’s allowed to build up to a high concentration level.”
Radon attaches to dust particles, which people unknowingly breathe in. Once those particles are inside peoples’ lungs, the radon releases alpha rays of radiation. Those rays can damage the cells, lung tissue and DNA in your body, potentially leading to lung cancer down the line.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) equates dangerously high radon levels (greater than or equal to 4 pCi/L) to smoking eight packs of cigarettes per day, or 200 chest X-rays annually.
“Unfortunately, we’re out here trying to raise awareness because it’s something that people don’t have an education about, it’s not being talked about, and we’re at a record low for Radon testing because of how the real estate market has been over the last few years,” Clausing said.
It’s colorless and odorless, making it increasingly difficult to sense. This is a major focus of Lifetime Radon’s mission, offering free testing at homes in Southeast Wisconsin during a time in which home inspection is increasingly uncommon.
If you are interested in learning more or scheduling a free test at your home, click here to visit Lifetime Radon’s website.
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