Test Homes for Radon, Bloomingdale Officials Tell Residents

Bloomingdale officials want to remind people to get their homes tested for Radon.

Mayor Jonathan Dunleavy announced Wednesday that January has been designated Radon Action Month.

The announcement was made in cooperation with the Department of Environmental Protection Radon Program.

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when uranium and radium break down in the soil and in rock formations. The gas moves up to the surface and possibly into peoples’ homes through cracks in the foundation and openings around pipes and drains.

The acceptable limit of radon levels in the air, according to the DEP and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is four picoCuries per liter of air.

“A significant number of homes in Bloomingdale are predicted to be above the acceptable limits for radio,” Dunleavy said in a statement. “We would like to see as many homes tested as possible to reduced the radon risk in Bloomingdale.”

Officials encourage residents to purchase testing kits or hire a company to test for radon in their homes. Test kits are available at hardware stores.

Information on radon is available at the borough clerk’s office at Borough Hall at 101 Hamburg Turnpike.

For more information about radon, call the DEP’s Radon Program at 800-648-0394 or visit the program’s website.