Radon is a colorless and odorless gas.  Radon is naturally occurring. It comes from the radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water and enters both the outdoor and indoor air. Radon is found all over the United States, including in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.  Radon can be measured through testing. Radon is measured in a unit called picoCuries per liter (or “pCi/L” for short). Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has set a recommended action level for radon at 4.0 pCi/L to educate the public about radon test results, EPA studies indicate that there is no safe level of radon and that health risks can increase with higher levels of radon exposure. The Surgeon General has warned that indoor radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

The only way to know if you are exposed to radon is to have a radon test. And so, the EPA has made January the “National Radon Action Month,” and you can learn more about radon, its effects and how to guard against radon exposure by visiting the National Radon Action Month website.

In New Jersey, the areas of the state have been divided into “Tiers” based on their radon health risk. The presence of uranium-rich deposits in some areas of New Jersey have led them to be designated a “Tier 1” areas, meaning that their geological features present the highest potential risk for radon exposure based on New Jersey’s criteria for radon risk assessment. You can learn more about New Jersey’s tier system and radon risks by visiting the New Jersey Radon Potential website.

Learn more about radon testing in New Jersey, you can visit the List of Certified Businesses and Radon Information maintained by the State of New Jersey.

Additional radon resources and information:

• The Federal Radon Action Plan
• The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Radon Section
• Class Action for Alleged Defective Radon Mitigation Systems