NCDHHS: Free Residential Radon Test Kits for Radon Action Month

Raleigh -- December 30, 2024: Press Release: NoC Department of Health and Human Services:  In recognition of  National Radon Action Month , the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services

 

is providing 2,000 free radon test kits available beginning Jan. 1, 2025, at radon.ncdhhs     radon.ncdhhs.gov . Radon exposure is preventable, and testing is the only way to know if you or your family is at increased risk.

 

Radon is an odorless, colorless gas released from the ground into outdoor air but can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and other buildings. Radon is responsible for approximately 450 deaths annually in North Carolina, and radon exposure is the number one environmental cause of lung cancer statewide.

 

"Everyone in North Carolina, from the coast to the mountains, is exposed to some level of radon," said Phillip Gibson, NC Radon Program Coordinator. "The question is not if you are exposed, but whether the level of exposure could be dangerous to your health. Testing for radon is the only way to know."

 

To support increased radon testing and mitigation, NCDHHS recently published a collection of data to help North Carolinians understand the risk of radon in their communities. Recent data show more than three-quarters of all North Carolina counties have elevated levels of radon present. A level of four picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher in your home is considered unsafe. County-level data and recommendations are available on the  NCDHHS radon webpage .

 

Statewide surveys also reveal radon impacts different communities at differing rates. White people are 30% more likely to know about radon than their non-white peers. Efforts are underway to increase equitable awareness through outreach to community organizations and through additional  resources available in 16 different languages

 

The  2023 North Carolina State Health Improvement Plan and  North Carolina Cancer Control Plan includes reducing radon exposure through testing and mitigation as a key strategy to improving life expectancy in North Carolina. In addition to providing free radon test kits and observing Radon Action Month, the department will continue to work to increase education and awareness in communities across the state to ensure people take appropriate action to protect themselves and their families from dangerous levels of radon.

Visit  radon.ncdhhs.gov for more information and to order your free test kit while supplies last. Limit one test kit per household. For more information on radon mitigation, visit the  NCDHHS radon mitigation webpage . 

 

In recognition of  National Radon Action Month , the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services is providing 2,000 free radon test kits available beginning January 1, 2025, at  radon.ncdhhs.gov . Radon exposure is preventable, and testing is the only way to know if you or your family are at increased risk.

 

Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that is released from the ground into the air, but can build up and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and other buildings. Radon is responsible for about 450 deaths a year in North Carolina, and radon exposure is the number one environmental cause of lung cancer statewide.

"Everyone in North Carolina, from the coast to the mountains, is exposed to some level of radon," said Phillip Gibson, coordinator of the North Carolina Radon Program. "The question is not whether you are exposed, but whether the level of exposure could be dangerous to your health. Radon testing is the only way to know."

 

To support increased radon testing and mitigation, NCDHHS recently released a collection of data to help North Carolinians understand the risk of radon in their communities. Recent data shows that more than three-quarters of all North Carolina counties have elevated levels of radon present. A level of four pico curies per liter (pCi/L) or higher in your home is considered harmful. County-level data and recommendations are available on the  NCDHHS radon 

 

State surveys also reveal that radon affects different communities at different rates. White people are 30% more likely to know about radon than their non-white peers. Efforts are underway to increase equitable awareness through outreach to community organizations and through additional resources  available in 16 different languages .

 

North Carolina’s 2023 Statewide HealthImprovement Plan and  North  Carolina’s Cancer Control Plan include reducing radon exposure through testing and mitigation as a key strategy to improve life expectancy in North Carolina. In addition to providing free radon test kits and observing Radon Action Month, the department will continue to work to increase education and awareness in communities across the state to ensure people take appropriate steps to protect themselves and their families from dangerous levels of radon.

 

Visit  radon.ncdhhs.gov for more information and to order your free test kit while supplies last. Limit one test kit per home. For more information on radon mitigation, visit the  NCDHHS Radon Mitigation Plan Webpage