Here’s the announcement:

The Buncombe County Cooperative Extension, in cooperation with the NC Radon Program, will be giving away free radon test kits for the month of January, beginning Jan. 3.

Get a free Radon Test Kit! Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is invisible, odorless, and tasteless gas. Radon is released harmlessly from the ground into outdoor air, but it can accumulate and reach harmful levels when trapped in homes and buildings.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the United States. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after smoking and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.

Buncombe County has been designated as a Zone 1 County by the EPA. This means the average home will test over 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L), the level at which the EPA recommends fixing your home. Houses in the same neighborhood can have very different levels, so every home should be tested. Testing homes for radon is simple and inexpensive.

For more information about receiving your free radon test kit, visit http://www.ncradon.org or contact the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension office at 255-5522. The office is located at 94 Coxe Avenue in downtown Asheville.