As part of Radon Action Month in January, the Fairfield Department of Health is happy to announce radon test kits are available free of charge.  There are a total of 150 kits for distribution, and are intended for home owners, not for real estate purposes.  

 

     According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is a cancer-causing, radioactive gas.  Radon occurs naturally and is released in rock, soil and water, and can accumulate inside buildings.  Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, and the number one cause among non-smokers.  The EPA estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year. 

    The free radon test kits are short- term tests, with a testing period of 3 to 7 days.  Test kits can be picked up at the Fairfield Department of Health, Environmental Division located at 1587 Granville Pike in Lancaster from 8 am to 4 pm Monday through Friday.  The kits will be distributed on a “first come, first served basis.”  Please limit kit request to one per family.

     Each kit contains detailed instructions on how to perform the test.  Once completed, the homeowner mails the test kit directly to the laboratory.  The lab will send results to the homeowner, generally within three weeks.  Results can also be obtained within a few days of analysis at www.radon.com . 

     The results from your kit determine the next step. Both the Licking County Health Department and the Ohio Department of Health have staff certified in radon testing who are available to help answer questions.  The Ohio Department of Health phone number is 1-800-523-4439.  The Licking County Health Department phone number is 740-349-6475.  To find out more about radon, log-on to www.epa.gov/radon.