Radon is a gas formed naturally in the environment with the breakdown of radioactive metals. People are always exposed to radon because it comes from the earth, but some areas have higher concentrations of the gas than others. The gas can enter your home through cracks and gaps. Kentucky has an average radon level of 5.4 picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L)50. The Environmental Protection Agency indicates remediation should be taken for levels exceeding 4pCi/L in a home51. Higher radon levels are associated with increased risk of lung cancer and is the second leading cause of all lunger cancers in the U.S.
Of the homes tested, the average indoor radon level is 2.6 pCi/L as compared to 1.3pCi/L nationally52. Carroll County homes have higher indoor radon levels than the nation. Of the homes measured in Carroll County, 19% have radon levels of 4pCi/L or higher. More than half of the homes in Carroll County have insufficient data to measure levels52.
