January is National Radon Action Month, an effort through the US Environmental Protection Agency and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys. According to AGGS Alaska Radon Program Manager Paul Goodfellow, there are large deposits of uranium, which produces radon, in parts of Alaska.
“We have found actual high radon levels out in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. We’ve done some tests up in the northern Mat-Su, up towards Willow in that area, and we found high radon levels.”
Goodfellow says radon can be high in one home, but much lower in a home next door because of the underlying geology. It’s impossible to know unless homeowners test for radon.
“The only way to know if you have radon in your home is to run a test and that’s the unfortunate truth. Because it’s colorless and odorless, people don’t generally think about it.”
There are health risks associated with radon.
“It’s now the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States behind cigarette and tobacco smoking.”
Residents may view the Alaska radon map and request a free radon test kit through the AGGS website.
