JACKSON, Wyo. — January is National Radon Action Month.
The Teton County Health Department (TCHD) encourages residents to test dwellings and workplaces for radon. Test kits are available at TCHD’s headquarters at 460 East Pearl Ave. for $10 each.
According to TCHD, radon is a radioactive gas that naturally occurs from the breakdown of uranium in rocks, soil and groundwater. Radon gas can enter buildings from the soil beneath and can build up to high levels indoors. When radon is inhaled, the radioactive decay products damage lung tissue, which can increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer. Buildings of any age and condition can have a radon issue.
“Teton County is designated a Zone 1 Radon Area, meaning the predicted average indoor screening levels are greater than the Environmental Protection Agency’s threshold of 4 picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L),” TCHD stated in a press release.
For more information, contact TCHD’s Environmental Health Division at (307) 732-8490. To learn more about radon from the Environmental Protection Agency, see www.epa.gov/radon.
