There may not be any such thing as a free lunch (actually, there is) – but in North Carolina in January there is such a thing as a free radon detection kit.
In conjunction with National Radon Action Month – January each year – the North Carolina Radon Program is distributing radon test kits to state residents at no charge.
According to information sent out on Friday, Jan. 10 by the NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), the kits can help protect citizens from the gas that can be deadly. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is – adding to its danger – invisible, odorless and tasteless. The gas is released from the ground into outdoor air, harmlessly in many circumstances; however, it can accumulate and reach very dangerous levels when the hard to detect gas is trapped in homes or in buildings. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that radon is responsible for more than 22,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States.
The kits are available at no charge through a grant received from the EPA and can be requested by visiting http://nc.radon.com and providing your information this month. Supplies are limited so act soon if you need one.
The state has other radon awareness activities scheduled for January as well – including four webinars to be hosted by the NC Cooperative Extension Service. Those online seminars are open to anyone who wants to participate and become more knowledgeable about radon. Those sessions will be geared especially toward medical providers, physicians, homebuilders and real estate brokers. To register for the webinars, go to the “Upcoming Events” section at www.ncradon.org.
The NC Radon Program – which is a program of NCDHHS – provides information year-round to families, homeowners and others about radon gas including on how to test for radon and how to lower levels in a home. More information about keeping safe in this regard can also be found at www.ncradon.org.
