Scappoose, areas in Columbia County have high risk for radon exposure

Scappoose, areas in Columbia County have high risk for radon exposure

Created on Tuesday, 06 January 2015 10:31 | Written by Pamplin Media Group | 

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Photo Credit: COURTESY OF THE OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY - A map of Oregon shows ZIP codes color-coded by their assessed risk level for indoor radon exposure. The Scappoose area in ZIP code 97056 is among those rated as having a high risk level by the Oregon Health Authority.

Cities in Columbia, Washington, Yamhill and Multnomah counties could be at risk for high concentrations of radon gas, according to new maps released Tuesday by the Oregon Health Authority.

High concentrations of radon, a radioactive gas that seeps into homes from the underlying soil, can be found in Scappoose, North Plains, Dundee, Boring and Mount Hood Parkdale, according to new data compiled by the Health Authority. Similar concentrations were found in large chunks of North, Northeast, Southeast and Northwest Portland.

State officials are using the new data to press for more testing in homes. Kits to test for the gas cost between $15 and $25 and can be purchased at most hardware stores.

The Health Authority is also promoting the tests because January is National Radon Action Month.

“The take-home message is that every home needs to be tested, regardless of where it is located,” says Brett Sherry, Radon Program coordinator at the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division. “You may have the only house on the block with elevated radon levels.”

New state data

Radon is odorless, tasteless and invisible. It is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes up from the ground and is drawn into buildings, where it can build up to dangerous levels. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after cigarette smoking, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Oregon’s Radon Program collects radon test data from test kit manufacturers to understand which areas of the state have the potential for high radon levels. It allows the program to identify areas where educational outreach efforts need to be focused. The data, initially published two years ago, was recently updated with additional radon test data from around the state.

State officials say contractors often can fix most radon problems by taking small actions, such as painting or having a new water heater installed. The best time to test for radon is during the winter, when windows and doors are closed most of the time, leading to the highest radon levels in homes, according to state officials.

To see whether your neighborhood is at risk for radon exposure, check the maps at http://www.healthoregon.org/radon.

More information about radon can also be found at the state website and at the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s website, http://www.epa.gov/radon/nram.