Conn. urges homeowners to test for radon

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut's public health commissioner is urging state residents to test their homes for radon, an odorless and invisible gas that's been linked to lung cancer.

Commissioner Jewel Mullen is issuing the plea in advance of National Radon Action Month in January. She says one in five homes in Connecticut has elevated levels of the naturally occurring, radioactive gas.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency says radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the U.S. each year.

Mullen says it typically costs $1,200 to $1,500 to fix radon problems in a home. Radon test kits can be bought online, and more information is available on the state Department of Public Health's website.

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Online:

Connecticut Department of Public Health's radon program, http://www.ct.gov/dph/radon