The Burlington County Health Department is distributing free radon test kits to county residents to check their homes for the radioactive gas.
The kits are being made available as part of a partnership between Burlington County and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to raise awareness and help safeguard local homes from the hazard.
The gas is formed naturally when uranium and radium break down in the soil and in rock formations. Radon gas then moves up through the soil and can enter homes through cracks in foundations and openings around pumps, pipes and drains.
In New Jersey, close to 10 percent of radon tests equal or exceed the EPA’s action level of 4 picoCuries per liter (pCi/L). The average U.S. indoor level is 1.3 pCi/L.
The available home test kits are simple to use and are being offered free to Burlington County residents. If high levels of radon are detected, the health department can also help advise on mitigation actions and certified radon mitigation professionals.
By law, all businesses and professionals conducting radon testing and mitigation in New Jersey must be certified by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The department’s Radon Section regulates radon measurement and mitigation businesses and professionals to ensure high quality radon services.
Typical mitigation systems use a vent pipe and fan to collect and vent the gas from a home. Costs are usually the same as many other home repairs.
Residents can arrange to pick up a free test kit at the health department office in Westampton by calling Burlington County’s Environmental Health Coordinator at (609) 265-3739. More information about radon is available online at www.njradon.org or by calling the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s radon program at (800) 648-0394.
