The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) awarded a total of $1 million to six recipients to address asthma, radon, and other indoor air health risks.
The aim is to advance national policy and systems-level change to reduce indoor air risks and yield measurable environmental and public health benefits, according to EPA assistant administrator for the Office of Air and Radiation Joe Goffman.
“The EPA is proud to partner with these leading organizations to address the serious threats posed by poor indoor air quality,” he said
“With these agreements, the agency advances our commitment to communities across the country by providing financial and technical assistance so they can take action to prevent lung cancer, asthma episodes, and other respiratory diseases.”
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and asthma affects 25 million Americans, including nearly five million children, with poor and minority children suffering a greater burden of the disease.
Funding will be used to prevent lung cancer by promoting testing and fixing homes, schools, and other buildings with elevated radon levels.
It will help also prevent other indoor air problems and associated poor health outcomes through expanded support of state and local efforts to improve indoor air quality by promoting best practices and policies.
A $175,000 grant was awarded to Kansas State University to operate a national radon hotline and web site. This is in addition to conducting performance assessments of common consumer-grade digital radon monitors; selling radon test kits; and working to increase the number of credentialed radon professionals.
EPA Region 7 administrator Meg McCollister, said radon can not be seen or smelt
“It is essential that we test our homes for this leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, especially considering that many homes in our region have a high potential for elevated radon levels,” she said.
Closer to home the Facilities Management Association of New Zealand (FMANZ) has released a report that analyses the costs and benefits of improving indoor air quality (IAQ) in New Zealand.
Titled Time to clear the air, the report presents a compelling economic case for improving IAQ, in terms of both health and productivity benefits.