Free Radon Tests!

Did you know that one in every four Michigan homes is expected to have radon levels that exceed the recommended federal action level? This matters because radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, behind smoking. You can't see, smell or taste radon. The only way to know if you have elevated radon levels is to test.

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium, which are radioactive metals, break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing it in air that comes through cracks and gaps in homes and buildings. However, because radon comes naturally from the earth, people are always exposed to it.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General’s Office estimate radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can get trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear.

EPA recommends taking action to reduce radon in homes that have a radon level at or above 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air (a “picocurie” is a common unit for measuring the amount of radioactivity).

Pick your free radon test kit up at the Putnam Township Hall, anytime, during regular business hours.