To study the presence of radon in Christian County, people can borrow a radon testing kit from the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library to test their homes and now a radon testing kit is also available at the Christian County Extension Office.
Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas that naturally forms in soil and bedrock. The University of Kentucky has partnered with state academic and community organizations to conduct the Radon on the RADAR (Residents Acting to Detect and Alleviate Radon) study in Christian, Logan, Pulaski and Rowan Counties.
Kelly Jackson from the Extension Office shared that Christian County has elevated levels of radon and the gas is reported to be the second leading cause of lung cancer. Jackson says the University of Kentucky has recently recruited the Extension Office to join the study.
A radon testing kit has been available at the public library since 2023, but Jackson says it has had low use. Now that the Extension Office has joined the study Jackson says they are going to do additional outreach regarding the study.
Those who test their homes do not have to share the results, however if they want the chance to win gift cards through the study then they will have to share the results of the test.
Jackson says people testing their homes should set the kit up in an area that is highly frequented by people and if the results are below the threshold, then their home is fine. If the test results are above the threshold and show an elevated level of radon then homeowners can take steps to mitigate the radon in order to reduce the levels.
Jackson says radon testing is another step people can take to protect themselves from developing lung cancer in the future, similar to people wearing sunscreen to reduce their chances of developing skin cancer.
Radon testing kits can be borrowed for free at the Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library and at the Christian County Extension Office. More information about the study can be found at niehs.nih.gov.