(WWJ) January is Radon Action Month and the Macomb County Health Department is raising awareness by giving out free radon testing kits to local residents.
The do-it-yourself test kits can be ordered through the health department and will be mailed out to Macomb residents until Feb. 4.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas made in soil and rock. It can creep into homes — through cracks, holes and other openings in the foundation — where it gets trapped and builds up over time.
In the United States, it has been named the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, killing an estimated 21,000 Americans every year, the health department said.
Radon is odorless, tasteless and invisible. Testing is recommended by public health officials every two to five years, as homes settle and new cracks can form.
The health department warns all homes are at risk — not just older homes — and the only way to know if radon levels are dangerous in your residence is to test for it.
To order a test kit, please call the Macomb County Health Department at 586- 469-5236 from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Residents can also send an email to environmental.health@macombgov.org.
For more information, please visit https://health.macombgov.org/Health-Programs-EnvironmentalHealth-RiskAssessment-Radon.
