An Orono representative is hoping Maine will become the first state in the nation to require that apartment buildings be tested for potentially dangerous levels of radon.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that results from the breakdown of uranium and thorium in the soil or bedrock. It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States after smoking, and is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

While smoking causes 90 per cent of lung cancer, there may be an odourless, colourless gas lingering around people’s homes that can also cause the disease.

“There’s another cause that people don’t know about,” Daisy Dowhy, resource co-ordinator with Central Plains Cancer Care Services, said.

That other cause is radon.

A new map shows the areas of Scotland worst affected by naturally-occurring radioactive radon gas.

Aberdeenshire, the Highlands, Orkney and the Scottish Borders have been assessed as having the highest number of properties affected.

The Scottish Government, which has offered free testing for radon, said exposure to the gas can increase the risk of lung cancer.

When naming the leading causes of cancer, radon may not rank at the top of many people’s list. However, a recent effort by Pope and Douglas County Public Health is aimed at changing that perception.

The oderless, colorless, and tasteless radioactive gas known as radon, is believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Found naturally in the ground, radon is created by the decay of uranium in the soil, rock and water. The gas seeps through openings in the home and when high levels are inhaled over long periods of time, greatly increases a person’s chance of suffering from lung cancer.

Question: What is radon and how could it affect my family?

Answer: Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas released from the normal decay of uranium in rocks and soil. It is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that seeps up through the ground and diffuses into the air. In a few areas, depending on local geology, radon dissolves into ground water and can be released into the air when the water is used.

If there was something you could do to prevent the second leading cause of lung cancer, would you do it? Performing a radon test is easy, inexpensive, and can be done privately. This simple test can tell you if you have elevated radon levels in your home.

Quick. What’s the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking? According to the American Lung Association, it’s radon.

According to the American Lung Association, Radon Gas has been identified as the second leading cause of lung cancer. Obviously, smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer. The information is released in conjunction with studies that suggest approximately 20,000 deaths each year in The United States are caused by exposure to radon gas.

A growing chorus of experts, including scientists testifying before the President’s Cancer Panel, investigators at the U.S. EPA’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and leading health organizations are urging the EPA Administrator to use regulatory authorities authorized by Congress to protect citizens from lung cancer caused by indoor radon exposure.