Montclair Health Department Offers Free Radon Test Kits

MONTCLAIR, NJ — The Montclair Health Department is offering free radon test kits to residents on a first-come, first-served basis as part of Radon Action Month this January.

According to a municipal news release, radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when uranium and radium break down in the soil and in rock formations. Radon gas moves up through the soil and finds its way into homes through cracks in the foundation and openings around pumps, pipes and drains.

"Radon is a serious health risk," Township Health Officer Susan Portuese said. "It is the second leading cause of lung cancer and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. But because radon is invisible and odorless it is easy to ignore this potential hazard in our own homes."

The free radon test kits contain a radon canister and a self-addressed and stamped envelope to return the canister to the lab. If the test indicates a radon problem, radon mitigation systems can be installed at a cost similar to that of other home repairs. A list of certified mitigation companies can be found at www.njradon.org, officials said.

For more information contact the Montclair Health Department at 973-509-4969.

The radon test kit program is offered in conjunction with the New Jersey Department of Protection Radon Program, officials said.

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