|
Air, Soil & Water Quality
-
Arsenic and Playscapes
-
Asbestos
-
IAQ Tools for Schools
- Lead
- Livestock and Manure
- Mold
- Newhall Remediation Project Website
- Private Well Water
- Radon
Code Compliance
- Adding an Addition
- Food Protection Program
- Cosmetology Shops
- Hamden Housing Code
- Subsurface Sewage Disposal (Septic)
Conservation
- Compact Fluorescent Lights
Pests
- Bed Bug Information
|
Radon
FREE RADON TEST KITS AVAILABLE
The United
States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated January as
National Radon Action Month and is encouraging local homeowners to test
for this potentially deadly radio-active gas. The Quinnipiack Valley
Health District is supporting the EPA’s efforts by offering a limited
number of radon test kits free-of-charge to District residents (Bethany,
Hamden, North Haven, and Woodbridge) on a first-come, first-served basis
during the month of January. Proof of residency is required. Residents
can reserve one free radon test kit per address to be picked-up at
Quinnipiack Valley Health District at 1151 Hartford Turnpike, North Haven
during normal business hours (8:30 am to 4:30 PM, Monday to Friday) by
calling (203) 248-4528 or emailing
info@qvhd.org.
Radon is a colorless, odorless, and
tasteless gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the soil. When
emitted into the open air, radon is rendered virtually harmless. However,
when it becomes trapped in an enclosed structure such as a house, radon
can accumulate to dangerous levels. Prolonged exposure to a high level of
radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers in this country.
The EPA estimates that radon causes more than 20,000 Americans to die
from lung cancer each year. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
One out of every fifteen homes in the United States has an elevated
level of radon.
Your neighbor’s house may not have a radon problem, but your house
might. The only sure way to know if your home has a radon problem is to
test for it. Testing is relatively simple and fixing a problem is usually
no more expensive than some common home repairs. The Connecticut
Department of Public Health provides a list of radon mitigation
contractors on their website: www.ct.gov/dph/radon.
For more
information on radon visit:
|
