Press release form Gloucester County Board of Freeholders
The Gloucester County Department of Health and Human Services is offering free radon kits to residents as a way for residents to ensure their safety by testing their homes for the presence of radon.
Freeholder Director Robert M. Damminger said, “We are not seeing a radon issue here, however on average, one in fifteen homes in the United States has a radon problem and because you can’t see radon, there is no way of knowing if you have it in your home unless you test for it.”
Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the natural decay of uranium found in soils. It moves up through the ground into the air or homes through cracks and other holes in the foundation, becoming trapped within the house and building up. Radon can happen in any home regardless of age, how sealed it is, or whether or not there is a basement.
Freeholder Jim Jefferson, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services, said, “Radon is widely believed to be the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and the leading cause of lung cancer for non-smokers. These testing kits are quick, easy, and free.”
Radon testing is easy and should only take a few minutes to reveal whether or not there is a problem at hand. There are a variety of low-cost “do-it-yourself” radon test kits you can get through the mail and in hard ware stores or other retail outlets. The Department of Health and Human Services is also offering kits free of charge to residents who wish to test their homes.
To obtain a free radon kit and additional information call the Gloucester County Department of Health at (856) 218–4170.
