Middletown — January marks National Radon Action Month. The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Middletown Health Department are encouraging residents to test their homes for radon gas, the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths. Health officials estimate that radon is responsible for more than 21,100 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, which comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. When emitted into open air, radon is rendered virtually harmless. However, when it becomes trapped into an enclosed structure such as a house, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels over an extended period of time. Prolonged exposure to high levels of radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in this country. One out of every 15 homes in the United States has an elevated level of radon. Your neighbor’s house may not have a radon problem, but you might. The only sure way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test for it.
                                                
The Middletown Health Department has joined DPH to encourage city residents to check their homes for radon by offering a limited number of free test kits. CT DPH has provided free test kits to 36 local health department/district partners for distribution in their communities. The radon test kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be picked up at the City Health Department in the lower level of the Municipal Building during normal business hours. Testing is relatively easy, inexpensive, and should be done in the winter months when windows and doors are closed. If you have any questions or concerns regarding radon, please call (860) 638-4962 or email [email protected].