Ahead of Radon Action Month in January, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is releasing updated, county-level data on radon levels across the state. NCDHHS staff and partners will host a virtual roundtable to share radon resources on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 11 a.m. via Zoom. News media and interested organizations are invited to participate in the discussion.
Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that is released from the ground into outdoor air but can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and other buildings. In North Carolina, radon is the number one environmental cause of lung cancer.
Recent data shows elevated radon levels are not confined to specific geological areas. Building materials may also contain uranium thus expanding the reach of radon gases. Recent statewide survey data also reflects that radon exposure is impacting different communities at different rates. To address these trends, NCDHHS has released county-level recommendations and guidance documents to elevate awareness to all citizens throughout North Carolina. Resources are now available in English, Spanish and 14 other languages.
What: NCDHHS virtual media availability on radon data and resources
Who: Phillip Gibson, NC Radon Program Coordinator, Radiation Protection Section, Division of Health Service Regulation, NCDHHS
Mary Reynolds, Radon and Indoor Air Coordinator, EPA Region 4
Kennedy Holt, Environmental Toxicologist, Occupational and Environmental Epidemiology Section, Division of Public Health, NCDHHS
Sarah Arthur, Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Director, Cancer Prevention and Control Branch, Division of Public Health, NCDHHS
When: Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024
11 a.m.
Where: Zoom. Credentialed media should RSVP for the link by emailing news@dhhs.nc.gov.