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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, Feb. 21, 2008 |
CONTACT Warren Smith |
Lakewood Fourth-Grader Wins Radon Awareness Poster ContestDENVER - The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment today announced the state winner of the National Radon Poster Contest. Colorado’s first place poster, titled “Keep Your Radar Out For Radon,” was created by fourth-grader Christina Bear of Colorado Academy in Lakewood. Christina’s poster colorfully highlights the health risks posed by long-term exposure to radon and recommends that citizens check their homes for radon. The National Safety Council, in conjunction with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, sponsors the poster contest every January - National Radon Action Month. Staff from the state health department’s Hazardous Materials Waste Management Division judged the contest in Colorado. Additional information for the poster contest is on the National Safety Council’s Web site at www.nsc.org. “Thanks to Christina for helping us bring attention to the importance of radon testing,” said Warren Smith, community relations manager for the Hazardous Materials Division. The state health department urges Coloradans to test their homes for radon during the winter months, when doors and windows are closed. Long-term exposure to radon - a colorless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas - is the most frequent cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in smokers. Exposure to radon is responsible for approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. Radon test kits are available at most hardware stores for less than $35. Additional resources, including a link to National Environmental Health Association-certified contractors, are available on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s Web site at www.coloradoradon.info, or by calling the department’s Radon Hotline at 1-800-846-3986. Colorado residents also can check with their local health department, county extension office or public health nurses for radon information. ---30--- |
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