Date Published: 01/16/2020 [Source]
The Somerset County Department of Health (SCDOH) and the Morris-Somerset Regional Chronic Disease Coalition (RCDC) are participating in Radon Awareness Month by providing free radon testing kits to residents of Somerset County.
Both agencies are committed to spreading awareness about radon to reduce the rates of lung cancer through radon exposure. It is important that residents are aware of the need to test their homes and reduce radon levels where necessary.
Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas that is in the ground naturally, and sometimes it gets into homes through cracks in the floor or walls. Radon occurs in higher concentrations in certain areas of the state, including Morris and Somerset Counties. There is no truly "safe" level of radon since lung cancer can result from very low exposures to radon; however, the risk decreases as the radon concentration decreases.
Having your home tested is the only effective way to determine whether you and your family are at risk of high radon exposure.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer for nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. According to the RCDC, lung and bronchus cancers are the number one cause of cancer-related fatalities.