Radon Education Grant Received

La Plata County Extension and 4CORE are teaming up to raise radon awareness. EPA has approved grant request for Radon Education in Southwest Colorado through Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. CSU Extension will provide workshops beginning in December to discuss the impacts and prevalence of radon in our area.  Short term radon test kits will be available.  In addition, 4CORE will conduct radon testing and education for low-income residents.

“I’m very pleased that we’re going to be able to provide this resource again and that we will have kits again,” said Wendy Rice, Extension Agent.  “There are a variety of factors that can impact the amount of radon drawn into a home. Two homes, sitting side by side, could have completely different radon levels,” she explained.  “You just can’t tell without testing.”

Radon has been definitively linked to lung cancer after long-term exposure. It is the primary cause of lung cancer second only to cigarette smoking, though it is easy to prevent through testing and mitigation.

EPA recommends mitigation for homes testing at four (4) picocuries per liter (pCi/l) or greater. Figures released by EPA showed that homes in Colorado are at high risk because of granite and soil content. Levels in La Plata County have ranged from 1 - 315 pCi/L.  If mitigation is needed it should only be done by National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) certified technicians.

The screening kit provided by CSU Extension Office ($5 with class/$10 without) is a complete three-day screening test that has no additional reading costs. The kit is a reliable tool and if results above four pCi/l are received, an additional test should be conducted before mitigation takes place.

The kits are easy to use and any interested resident is encouraged to contact the Extension office about participating in the testing program at 970-382-6465.

Low-income residents should contact 4CORE at 970-259-1916 to determine eligibility and schedule a test.