January is National Radon Action Month, and is offering free short-term radon test kits to Nevadans from Jan. 1 through Feb. 28. Radon test kits are available at Cooperative Extension offices and partnering locations, as well as at presentations statewide.
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It comes from the ground and can accumulate in homes, raising the risk of lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from radon-caused lung cancer, killing more people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving, house fires and unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning combined.
In Nevada, one in four homes tested show radon concentrations at or above the EPA action level. According to experts, living in a home with radon concentrations at the action level poses a risk of developing lung cancer similar to the risk posed by smoking about half a pack of cigarettes a day.
The risk of radon-caused lung cancer can be reduced. A simple three-day test can determine if a house has a radon problem, and winter is an ideal time to test a home for radon. If radon problems are found, they can be fixed.
Scheduled presentations for northern Nevada are:
- Jan. 17 at Verdi Community Library & Nature Center, 270 Bridge St., Verdi, at 4 p.m.
- Jan. 23 at Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 128 Market St., Stateline, at 6 p.m.
- Jan. 24 at the Carson City Senior Center, 911 Beverly Drive, Carson City, at 6:30 p.m.
- Feb. 7 at South Valleys Library, 15650 Wedge Parkway, Reno, at 6 p.m.
- Feb. 8 at CVIC, 1604 Esmeralda Ave., Minden, at 6 p.m.
- Feb. 15 at the Storey County Senior Center, 100 Mill St., Virginia City, at 12:45 p.m.
- Feb. 21 at Incline Village GID, Public Works, 1220 Sweetwater Road, Incline Village, at 6 p.m.
- Feb. 24 at Northwest Reno Library, 2325 Robb Drive, Reno, at 2 p.m.
Scheduled presentations for southern Nevada are:
- Jan. 25 at Mesquite's Amazing Library, 121 W. First N St., Mesquite, at 6 p.m.
- Jan. 27 at Mount Charleston Library, 75 Ski Chalet Place, Mt. Charleston, at 12:30 p.m.
- Jan. 27 at Green Valley Library, 2797 N. Green Valley Parkway, Henderson, at 4 p.m.
- Jan. 28 at Summerlin Library, 1771 Inner Circle, Las Vegas, at 2 p.m.
- Jan. 29 at Centennial Hills Library, 6771 N. Buffalo Drive, Las Vegas, at 6 p.m.
- Jan. 30 at West Charleston Library, 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., Las Vegas, at 6 p.m.
- Jan. 31 at Clark County Library, 1401 E. Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, at 6 p.m.
- Feb. 1 at the Doolittle Senior Center, 1950 N. J St., Las Vegas, at 11 a.m.
- Feb. 1 at Enterprise Library, 25 E. Shelbourne Ave., Las Vegas, at 6 p.m.
- Feb. 2 at the Cora Coleman Senior Center, 2100 Bonnie Lane, Las Vegas, at 11:15 a.m.
- Feb. 5 at Boulder City Library, 701 Adams Blvd., Boulder City, at 6 p.m.
For those who cannot attend a presentation, free test kits are available through Feb. 28 at the following northern Nevada locations:
- Carson City/Storey County Cooperative Extension, 2621 Northgate Lane, Suite 15, Carson City.
- Carson Tahoe Cancer Resource Center, 1535 Medical Parkway, Carson City.
- Churchill County Cooperative Extension, 111 Sheckler Road, Fallon.
- Douglas County Cooperative Extension, 1325 Waterloo Lane, Gardnerville.
- Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 128 Market St., Stateline.
- Elko County Cooperative Extension, 701 Walnut St., Elko.
- City of West Wendover City Hall, 1111 N. Gene L. Jones Way, West Wendover.
- Humboldt County Cooperative Extension, 1085 Fairgrounds Road, Winnemucca.
- Lander County Cooperative Extension, 815 N. Second St., Battle Mountain.
- Lyon County Cooperative Extension, 504 S. Main St., Yerington.
- Fernley City Hall, 595 Silver Lace Blvd., Fernley.
- Central Lyon County Fire District, 231 Corral Drive, Dayton.
- Mineral County Cooperative Extension, 205 S. A St., Hawthorne.
- Pershing County Cooperative Extension, 810 Sixth St., Lovelock.
- Storey County Library, 175 E. Carson St., Virginia City.
- Washoe County Cooperative Extension, 4955 Energy Way, Reno.
- Sun Valley General Improvement District, 5000 Sun Valley Blvd., Sun Valley.
- Incline Village Recreation Center, 980 Incline Way, Incline Village.
In southern Nevada, free test kits are available through Feb. 28 at the following locations:
- Clark County Cooperative Extension 8050 Paradise Road, Suite 100, Las Vegas.
- Northeast Clark County Cooperative Extension, 1897 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., Logandale.
- Southern Clark County Cooperative Extension, 55 Civic Way, Laughlin.
- Eureka County Cooperative Extension, 701 S. Main St., Eureka.
- Lincoln County Cooperative Extension, 360 Lincoln St., Caliente.
- White Pine County Cooperative Extension, 995 Campton St., Ely.
Nevadans can also or by mailing in , also available online for printing. Ordered test kits will require $4 for shipping. For more information, call the Radon Hotline at 888-RADON10 (888-723-6610) or visit the .
Cooperative Extension, the EPA and the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health urge all Nevadans to test their homes for radon. The Nevada Radon Education Program is a program of and is funded by the Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health through Grant Number K1-96963518-0 from the EPA. Since the program began in 2007, more than 26,000 homes have been tested in Nevada.
