Contact:
Christopher Tittel

Communication Director, DOH-Manatee

(305) 924-6839

Bradenton, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Manatee County (DOH-Manatee) received a proclamation from the Manatee Board of County Commissioners on Jan. 11 recognizing January 2022 as Radon Action Month.

“Radon can be deadly,” DOH-Manatee Health Officer Dr. Jennifer Bencie said. “It cannot be detected through sight or smell, which makes it even more of a health concern.”

Radon, a colorless, odorless, naturally occurring, radioactive gas, is the second leading cause of lung cancer deaths in the United States.

Radon comes from the radioactive breakdown of naturally occurring radium found in most soils. As a gas in the soil, it enters buildings through small openings in the foundation.

Since the building can hold the radon similarly to smoke trapped under a glass, indoor radon concentrations can increase to many times that of outdoor levels. Elevated radon levels have been found in all types of buildings, including manufactured homes, schools and high-rise condominiums.

In Florida, one in five homes tested has radon levels higher than accepted standards.

The only way to know the radon levels in your home is to test.

For more information, call DOH-Manatee at (941) 714-7593 or visit www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/radon/ .

About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

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