The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality announced this week it is offering free Radon Test Kits to Oklahoma residents.
The offer following the declaration by the EPA that January is National Radon Action Month. The Oklahoma DEQ is working with the EPA in the nationwide campaign to educate the country about the dangers of radon exposure and to encourage citizens to take action to protect their homes and families.
Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible, odorless, tasteless gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the earth. Radon is dispersed in outdoor air but can reach harmful levels when trapped in buildings.
The DEQ points out that scientists have long been concerned about the health risk of radon, but never before has there been overwhelming evidence that exposure to elevated levels of the gas can cause lung cancer. The EPA estimated radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths every year.
It is also the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. The EPA estimates one in every 15 homes nationwide has a high radon level at or above the recommended radon action level.
DEQ encourages Oklahomans to take action during this year’s National Radon Action Month by testing their homes for radon. For a free test kit, contact DRHOMEAIR at 1-800-324-5928 or www.drhomeair.com/ok.
