New survey prompts radon health alert.New survey prompts radon health alert Responding to results of a new Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), independent agency of the U.S. government, with headquarters in Washington, D.C. It was established in 1970 to reduce and control air and water pollution, noise pollution, and radiation and to ensure the safe handling and survey indicating the indoor radon problem is more serious and widespread than previously suspected (SN: 9/17/88, p.180), the Public Health Service announced on Sept. 12 a "national radon health advisory." According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Assistant Surgeon General The U.S. Surgeon General is charged with the protection and advancement of health in the United States. Since the 1960s the surgeon general has become a highly visible federal public health official, speaking out against known health risks such as tobacco use, and promoting disease Vernon J. Houk, an estimated 5,000 U.S. lung cancers among nonsmokers each year are believed due entirely to indoor radon exposure. Among smokers, where radon exposure can elevate lung cancer risk 15-fold over normal, the problem is even more serious--accounting for roughly 15,000 additional deaths annually. These statistics indicate that indoor radon's human roll "probably exceeds by 10 times the problem of outdoor air pollution," Houk says. And like deaths from smoking, radon's toll is "largely preventable," he adds. To identify persons at risk, the new health advisory recommends homes be tested for radon, and radon-reduction measures be implemented when elevated levels are found. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , Houk advises homeowners with high radon levels to "prohibit smoking in your house." Radon's toxic decay products -- known as "daughters" -- attach to respirable respirable /res·pir·a·ble/ (re-spir´ah-b'l) 1. suitable for respiration. 2. small enough to be inhaled. res·pi·ra·ble adj. 1. Fit for breathing, as air. particles, such as those in cigarette smoke. Once inhaled, radioactive daughters piggybacking Gaining access to a restricted communications channel by using the session another user already established. Piggybacking can be defeated by logging out before leaving a workstation or terminal or by initiating a protected mode, such as via a screensaver, that requires re-authentication on these particles are deposited in the lung. So by polluting indoor air, he notes, smokers can elevate the radon risk of nonsmokers. At a press conference last week, Houk called upon physicians and other health professionals to get this message out and "become the leaders in radon-exposure reduction." |
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