The Hopewell Borough and Pennington Borough Boards of Health are working with Montgomery Township Health Department to recognize January as Radon Awareness Month.
Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas that occurs naturally in soil. It is released from the natural decay of the elements uranium, thorium and radium, and occurs in higher concentrations in certain areas of the state, including Central Jersey.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Radon is associated with 15,000 to 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.
“In an effort to reduce the risk of exposure to radon gas, residents are urged to test their homes,” said Stephanie Carey, Health Officer of Montgomery Township. “It’s not uncommon to find that homes on the same block will have different test results. Even if your neighbor’s home is not affected by radon gas, it does not mean that your home is in an acceptable range.”
Starting on January 2nd to enable residents to test their homes, one radon kit per household will be available on a first-come, first-served basis for $10 at the following locations:
- Montgomery Township Health Department,2261 Route 206, Belle Mead
- Hopewell Borough Hall, 88 E. Broad Street, Hopewell Borough
- Pennington Borough Hall, 30 N. Main Street, Pennington
For more information on radon testing or mitigation, contact the Montgomery Health Department at (908) 359-8211.
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