South Carolina – The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) is providing free radon test kits to South Carolina residents in an attempt to lower the health risks connected with the naturally occurring radioactive gas radon.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that this campaign seeks to increase awareness about radon, the second most common cause of lung cancer in the country and the main cause among nonsmoking individuals.
Rising from the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water, radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas. It typically enters homes through openings in the foundation, such as cracks, joints, and gaps around pipes. Many homeowners would not know it exists as it is invisible without specific tools. The EPA emphasizes that a radon problem can exist in any house, new or old, well sealed or drafty, with or without a basement…