The cancer program at Central Vermont Medical Center is partnering with the Barre Town clerk/treasurer’s office and the Vermont Department of Health to distribute free radon-in-air test kits to Barre Town residents from October 16 to November 17.
The Dangers of Radon
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that you cannot smell, taste or see. It forms when uranium and radium break down in rocks and soil. People are exposed to radon primarily by breathing radon that seeps through cracks and gaps in the foundations of buildings and homes. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your lung cancer risk is especially high.
The cancer program has invited Barre Town to participate in this program because past testing showed that a significantly higher percentage of homes in Barre Town had elevated radon levels than in other Vermont communities (25% for Barre Town compared to 13% for the State), according to the VT Department of Health.
Testing for Radon
Testing your home is the only way to find out if you have a radon problem, and it is easy to do. Simply place a test kit on a surface (at least 20 inches off the floor) and leave it there for 3-12 months, making sure to include a heating season.
The free test kits will be available at the the following locations from Monday, October 16 through Friday, November 17:
- Barre Town clerk/treasurer’s office (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m)
- National Life Cancer Treatment Center on the CVMC campus (8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m)
- Barre Middle and Elementary School office (8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.) - for parents of students only
Learn More
For more information about radon in Vermont, go to: http://www.healthvermont.gov/radon. For information about this radon test kit project, contact Theresa Lever at the National Life Cancer Treatment center at 802-225-5449 or theresa.lever@cvmc.org.
