Algonquin Officials Urge Residents to Test Homes for Harmful, Odorless Gas

Algonquin officials are urging residents to take precautions in preventing exposure to a colorless, odorless gas that could lead to sickness and even death.

Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, they said Thursday, in a community alert. The notice encourages residents to test their homes and other buildings for radon via a kit readily available in hardware stores.

The difficult to detect, scent-free radioactive gas occurs naturally from the breakdown of uranium, such as that found in rocks and soil. It can enter through cracks in homes, buildings and schools; thus, exposing occupants.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) estimates that 21,000 yearly lung cancer U.S.
deaths are associated with radon.