Will County Urges Radon Testing, Provides Test Kits

The Will County Health Department provided this news release:

The Will County Health Department urges area homeowners to be aware of radon dangers and test their homes for the presence of an odorless gas with potentially dangerous consequences.

January is Radon Prevention Month. Radon is a radioactive gas generated by the natural decay of uranium in soil and rocks. It is estimated to account for up to 20,000 national lung cancer deaths annually, making it the second leading cause of lung cancer fatalities in the US.

Testing is the only way to know if you and your family are at risk from radon exposure. If you wish to know whether your family is at risk, the Health Department can help.

The Health Department has a limited supply of radon test kits on hand. The kits cost just $6, and can be picked up at Health Department locations in Joliet (501 Ella Avenue), Bolingbrook (323 Quadrangle), and University Park (44 TownCenter).

Each kit contains detailed information about how to conduct the test and where to send the completed test for laboratory analysis. All test results will be received by mail.

Test kits are cost-effective and are an easy way to screen your home. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon.

For more information about radon, including remediation information for homes with abnormally high test results, visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/radon/index.html

You may also wish to visit the Environmental Health pages at www.willcountyhealth.org for more timely radon information, including links to other helpful websites.