DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa, the state that has the highest risk for elevated levels of radon, now recognizes January as “Radon Action Month.”

Radon is an odorless, tasteless and colorless gas that can cause lung cancer after long-term exposure, according to the Iowa Department of Public Health.

In mid-January 2019, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds declared January as “Radon Action Month.” It’s meant as a way to remind Iowans to test their homes for the gas.

The average indoor radon concentration in Iowa is more than six times the national average

An estimated 400 deaths per year in Iowa are caused by radon-induced lung cancer. That is approximately the number of Iowans who die in traffic accidents each year. All of Iowa's 99 counties have the highest potential for radon levels and is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

On this edition of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe speaks with Gail Orcutt, who contracted lung cancer in 2010 from exposure to radon and has had major health struggles ever since. Orcutt has also become an advocate for radon testing and mitigation systems in homes and schools. There have been several bills brought to the Iowa Legislature that Orcutt has been a part of, including House File 755.

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