HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 2017 January Radon Month
City of Edina 4801 W. 50th St. Edina, MN 55424
Contact: Dawn Wills, Communications Assistant
Phone 952-903-5703 Fax 952-826-0389 EdinaMN.gov
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Free Radon Testing Kits Available in January
Edina, Minn., Dec. 21, 2017 – In recognition of National Radon Action Month, the Edina Health Division
will offer residents free radon test kids in January.
Radon is an odorless, colorless and tasteless radioactive gas that occurs naturally in Minnesota soils. Radon
levels can accumulate indoors. The soil around a home is porous, so the radon gas is able to move through
the dirt and rocks and into the basement through pathways, like cracks in the concrete slab, and accumulate
in the house. Homes that are next door to each other can have different indoor radon levels, making a
neighbor’s test result a poor predictor of radon risk. The only way to know if you home has high radon levels
is to complete your own test.
Radon is the leading environmental cause of cancer deaths in the United States and the leading cause of lung
cancer among non-smokers. According to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) website, more than
21,000 lung cancer deaths are attributed to radon each year in the United States. When breathed in, the
radioactive particles from radon gas can damage the cells that line the lung, increasing a person’s risk of
developing lung cancer
Testing is easy and only takes three to five days. The best time to test is during the heating season, but testing
can be done any time of year. Radon test kits are available at City Hall for free while supplies last.
“If we get a real good response for the test kit, we are happy to order more,” said Lee Renneke, Edina
Environmental Health Specialist.
Renneke said tests should be done in the lowest level of the home that is frequently occupied.
If your home’s level is at or above 4 picocuries per liter (piC/L), you should consider verification testing and
having a radon mitigation system installed. Anyone interested in mitigating his or her home for radon should
consult MDH’s list of certified radon mitigation contractors at http://bit.ly/2h6VXTa
For more information, contact Renneke at 952-826-0464 or LRenneke@EdinaMN.gov.
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