January is National Radon Action Month: Minnesota Health Officials Urge Residents to Test for Deadly Gas

(KNSI) – As central Minnesotans shutter their windows and doors for the winter, a deadly cancer-causing gas could be building in your home.

January is National Radon Action Month, and health officials are reminding Minnesotans it’s the best time to test or retest for the colorless, odorless gas. Radon comes from the natural decay of uranium, which is present in nearly all soil. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation, where it becomes trapped.

When inhaled over a long period of time, radioactive radon particles can damage the lungs and lead to lung cancer. Each year, it’s estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths nationwide. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people in the U.S. who have never smoked.

Stearns County

According to the Minnesota Department of Health, Minnesota’s geology and climate cause radon levels in the state to be more than three times higher than the national average. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, homes with a radon level at or above four picocuries per liter (pCi/L) of air should get a mitigation system. In Stearns County, 49.4% of homes tested had high radon levels. In Benton County, it was 29.3%, and in Sherburne County, 35.8%.

Despite that danger, MDH data shows that only about 1% of homes are tested each year. Radon test kits can be found at hardware and home improvement stores or ordered online at mn.Radon.com.

MDH’s efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of radon also included hosting a statewide poster contest open to children between the ages of nine and 14. For more information on the contest, click here.

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