Utah Department of Environmental Quality wants Uintah Basin residents to be aware that January is National Radon Action Month. Radon is formed when uranium breaks down into radium and then decays into radon gas. Ideally, circumstances would have radon gas diluted as it moves through the soil into the atmosphere with little risk to human health. However, when a building is built on top of decaying uranium, the radon gas is trapped in the structure with occupants left breathing the unhealthy levels of gas. More than 20,000 deaths occur annually from exposure to radon gas. It is also the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Unfortunately, one out of three homes in Utah contain dangerous levels of radon. Utah residents can test their homes for less than $10 by going to
radon.utah.gov
.
