The City of Minneapolis is giving away 200 radon test kits starting now to increase awareness of the cancer risks of radon and to encourage people to test their homes for it. The test kits are easy to use, and postage and testing instructions are included in the kit.
Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas that occurs naturally in Minnesota soils and can enter homes primarily through cracks and openings in basement or foundation floors and walls. Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. and the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. More than 21,000 deaths are attributed to radon each year in the U.S.
Free kits will be available while supplies last at the City of Minneapolis Development Review, 250 S. Fourth St., Room 300, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursdays. Once the supply of free radon test kits runs out, kits will still be available at the same location for $9 each.
The giveaway test kits are donated by the Minnesota Department of Health. The Minnesota Department of Health estimates that two in five Minnesota homes have dangerous levels of radon gas that pose a large health risk over many years of exposure. Fortunately, radon exposure is preventable, and radon problems in homes can be fixed. The first step is to test for radon at home, and the Minnesota Department of Health recommends that all homes in Minnesota be tested for radon.
Info: health.state.mn.us/radon or call the Minnesota Department of Health Indoor Air Unit at 651-201-4601 or 1-800-798-9050. People interested in mitigating their homes for radon should consult the Minnesota Department of Health’s list of certified radon mitigation contractors at health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/radon/mitigation.html.