Naugatuck Valley Health Distrct to present virtual radon awareness program

In recognition of National Radon Action Month, the Naugatuck Valley Health District will host a virtual information session on radon Jan. 25 at 6 p.m.

Radon is a naturally occurring colorless and odorless radioactive gas.

Radon enters the home through small cracks and holes in the basement. Prolonged exposure to levels above 4 picocuries per liter can increase one’s risk of getting lung cancer. Public health officials have found that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., behind cigarette smoking and the leading cause among non-smokers.

If you smoke cigarettes and have radon in your home, then your risk of getting lung cancer is even greater.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention an estimated 15,000-30,000 U.S. citizens die from radon-induced lung cancer each year.

According to CT DPH, high radon concentrations can occur sporadically in all parts of Connecticut. Two homes right next to each other can have different radon levels. Director Jessica Kristy cautions that “many homeowners or renters don’t think to test their homes annually. The only way to find out if your home has radon is to test for it. With that being said, now is a good time of year to do so!”

The heating season is the best time to test for radon because your home is closed up, and radon levels tend to build up indoors.

Our organization, along with the Department of Public Health, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the American Lung Association of Connecticut are partnering together to promote radon testing and mitigation.

In addition to offering the information session, Naugatuck Valley Health District has 100 FREE test kits available on a first come first serve basis.

To arrange to pick up your kit, contact Health Educator Lisa Trupp at 203-881-3255, ext. 108. If you are a homebound individual or have limited accessibility to transportation, please let us know so we can best accommodate you.

You can also purchase a test kit by calling the American Lung Association of Connecticut directly at 1-800-LUNG USA, visiting Airchek.com, or you can purchase a kit by visiting your local hardware store.

Kits are valued around $15 so don’t wait, call today!

To register for the program, please use:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/68YWFF7

For additional information on radon, contact your local health department at (203) 881-3255 or the Connecticut Department of Public Health Radon Program at (860) 509-7367 or visit our website at http://www.dph.state.ct.us. 

Naugatuck Valley Health District offers free radon test kits to residents

SEYMOUR - January is National Radon Action Month and the Naugatuck Valley Health District is recommending residents test their homes for radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

Naugatuck Valley Health District will hold an educational presentation at Kellogg Environmental Center, 500 Hawthorne Ave., Derby, from noon-1 p.m. Jan. 22, where residents can learn about radon and pick up a free radon test kit. 

Space is limited; please register at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Radon2020.

Additional free home radon test kits are available to residents of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Derby, Naugatuck, Seymour, and Shelton while supplies last. 

Starting Jan. 21, individuals may get one on the second floor of the health district office, 98 Bank St., weekdays from 9-11 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., while supplies last.
Supplies are limited; please call Jamie at 203- 881-3255 x108 to make sure test kits are still available before you head to the office.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas formed from the natural decay of uranium and is found in rock, soil and water. Although radon in outdoor air poses a relatively low risk to human health, the odorless, colorless and tasteless gas can enter homes, becoming a health hazard. 

There is definitive evidence that exposure to high levels of residential radon over a long period of time can damage the lungs and lead to lung cancer. 

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. Testing for radon saves lives and could potentially save yours and the lives of your loved ones.

The EPA recommends that homes with radon levels at or above 4.0 pCi/L be fixed. 

To obtain a list of qualified radon mitigation contractors, please visit the DPH Radon Program web site at www.ct.gov/dph/radon.

Naugatuck Valley Health District offers free radon test kits to homeowners

Did you know that radon levels can vary greatly from home to home? 

The only way to know if your home has a radon problem is to test it. Testing is easy and there are simple solutions to radon problems in homes.

The Naugatuck Valley Health District has free home test kits available.

Call Ali to get yours today. 203-881-3255.

Learn more about radon by downloading the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Citizen’s Guide to Radon:
The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon here: http://bit.ly/2hZsNG1

*Information shared from the Naugatuck Valley Health District Facebook page.