Date Published: 02/15/2007 [Source]
The Will County Health Department is trying to raise community awareness of radon testing by providing free radon test kits to county homeowners. Radon testing has been available since the mid-1980s, but federal studies indicate more than 80 percent of American homes have never been tested.
Radon is a naturally-occurring, invisible and odorless gas formed by the decay of uranium in the earth's crust. It does not pose significant risks outdoors, but health concerns are real when the gas seeps into buildings.A significant concentration of radon gas can produce radioactive particles that can get trapped in lungs. These particles release tiny bursts of energy that damage lung tissue and promote cancer development over time.