PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new report by the American Lung Association has identified an easy-to-miss health threat for many living in the Keystone State.
Radon is a radioactive gas that’s odorless and difficult to detect — and it’s raising health concerns in our region. According to a recent Lung Association report on lung cancer in the United States, the harmful gas is present at dangerous levels in nearly 40% of homes in Pennsylvania and 10% of New Jersey homes.
The Environmental Protection Agency recognizes radon as the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. — after smoking — responsible for an estimated 21,000 cases each year.
The Lung Association noted Pennsylvania as having one of the nation's most serious radon problems in the country. Recently, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro declared January as Radon Action Month, to bring awareness to the problem.
The U.S. Department of Environmental Protection lists Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties among the areas with the highest potential for elevated radon levels. However, Philadelphia and South Jersey are considered low or moderate-to-low risk.
The Lung Association has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to offer a limited supply of free radon testing kits, available through their website.