NEWS RELEASE
Sept. 16, 2022
CONTACT
Matt McPherson
DEQ Public Information Officer
mmcpherson@utah.gov, 385-245-4603
Utah Students Challenged to Raise Awareness of Radon in Utah
1 in 3 Utah Homes Found to Have Unsafe Levels of Radon
Utah students are invited to get creative and bring awareness of radon in Utah by
participating in the 2022 National Radon Poster Contest. The Utah Department of
Environmental Quality’s (DEQ) Radon Program is coordinating this year’s contest in
partnership with local health departments and the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
State contest winners will receive cash awards, with three first-place winners
receiving $100 and their teacher receiving $100. Second- and third-place winners
also will receive $100 each.
CONTEST DETAILS
● Posters must be postmarked by Oct. 22, 2022.
● Students ages 9-18 enrolled in a public, private, territorial, tribal, Department
of Defense or home school are eligible to participate
● There are three categories: Grades 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.
● Members of a sponsoring club, such as a scouting organization or an art,
computer, science or 4-H club also are eligible.
● There is no entry fee, but only one entry per student is allowed.
● Poster contest submission forms, topics and rules may be found online at
radon.utah.gov.
The public is invited to judge the posters by voting online at radon.utah.gov. Online
voting runs from Nov. 7-14, with winners announced on Nov. 30.
All posters will be subject to the following judging criteria:
● Content-accuracy
● Visual communication of topic
● Reproducibility
● Originality
WHAT IS RADON?
Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the ground and can only be
detected through testing. In Utah, 1 in 3 homes that are tested have radon levels
higher than what is considered safe for humans.
Radon is known as the slow, “silent killer.” You can’t smell it, taste it, or see it, but it’s
the number one cause of lung cancer death for non-smokers. Lung cancer is the
leading cause of cancer death in Utah, even though we have the lowest smoking rate
in the nation.
Radon is measured in units called picocuries. Anything higher than 4 picocuries is not
considered safe. The average radon level in Utah homes that have been tested was
5.3 picocuries. According to the EPA, every 10 picocuries is the same as smoking a
pack of cigarettes a day.
More information about contest eligibility, radon test kits, and radon contractors is
available at radon.utah.gov or by calling Utah’s Radon Hotline at 1-800-458-0145.
Today’s Air Quality
