January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is an invisible, tasteless and odorless radioactive gas which naturally forms from the decay of uranium found in rock, soil and water. Radon in the air poses a relatively low risk to humans but becomes a health hazard when entrapped within enclosed structures such as a house. Exposure to an elevated level of radon over a prolonged period of time has been linked to an increased risk for lung cancer. Your neighbor’s house may not have a radon problem but you might. The only sure way to know is to test.
Any Middletown homeowner who hasn’t tested their house for radon in the past 10 years (unless structural modifications have been made) can pick-up a free radon testing device at the Health Department during normal business hours during the month of January but supplies are limited and will be given out on a first-come first served basis (one per person).
Anyone with a question about radon should email or call me at 860.638.4962.
Louis Carta, MA, Community Health Educator Middletown Health Department at the Municipal Building
