During the month of January, the N.C. DHHS is emphasizing the importance of having a home safe from radon. The N.C. Radon Program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, is distributing free radon test kits while they last.
DHHS Offers Free Radon Test Kits for Your Home:
Monday, January 13, 2014 Contact: news@dhhs.nc.gov
919-855-4840
Raleigh, N.C. - During the month of January - National Radon Action Month - the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is emphasizing the importance of having a home safe from radon. The N.C. Radon Program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, is distributing free radon test kits while they last.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. among non-smokers. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. This is more than the number of deaths associated with DUI accidents.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. Radon is released harmlessly from the ground into outdoor air, but it can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and buildings.
Because radon is found in granite type rocks, many counties in mountainous regions of western North Carolina have been designated by the EPA as "Zone 1" counties. This means the average home will test higher than four picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the level at which the EPA recommends fixing your home. Houses in the same neighborhood can have very different levels, so every home should be tested.
•visit the N.C. Radon website at www.ncradon.org to order a free test kit