January is Radon Action Month in Lawrence Township

Editor's Note: The following is a news release issued by the Lawrence Township Health Department.

According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Radon Tier Report, at least 25 percent of homes in Lawrence Township are predicted to be above the acceptable limits for radon. 

In cooperation with the DEP Radon Program, Lawrence Township Health Department has designated January “Radon Action Month.”

Radon is a colorless, odorless, 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 measured in picoCuries per liter (pCi/L) of air. The average U.S. indoor level is 1.3 pCi/L.  At 4 pCi/L, the risk of lung cancer from radon is greater than the risk from fire or other home accidents.  

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the DEP recommend that action be taken to reduce radon levels if the level in the home is greater than or equal to 4 pCi/L.

Fortunately, testing for radon is simple and inexpensive. 

The DEP Radon Program can provide a list of certified companies that provide testing services. Contact the program at (800)648-0394 or visit www.njradon.org. 

Complete do-it-yourself testing kits can be purchased by township residents at the Lawrence Township Health Department for $12. 

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 is also available from the DEP Radon Program.

For more information on radon, contact Lawrence Township Health Department at (609)844-7089 or the DEP Radon Program at (800) 648-0394 or visit www.njradon.org.