As families across Arizona prepare for Thanksgiving, state health authorities are warning of a silent, invisible menace that may be infiltrating homes undetected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) are encouraging residents to test for radon, a radioactive gas that can cause major long-term health concerns, especially in desert settings like the Southwest.
Radon is naturally created when uranium in soil and rock degrades, generating gas that rises through cracks, drains, and foundations. Because it has no odor, color, or taste, most householders are unaware they are being exposed.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon exposure is the second greatest cause of lung cancer in the United States, accounting for more than 21,000 fatalities per year. While Arizona’s overall radon levels are generally lower than those in northern states, pockets of high risk have been detected in Northern and Central Arizona, including Flagstaff, Prescott, and parts of Phoenix’s East Valley, where specific soil characteristics allow radon to build…