The New Fairfield Health Department has partnered with the state Department of Public Health Asbestos and Radon Program to promote radon testing and mitigation efforts. New Fairfield has 35 radon test kits available to residents at no charge on a first come, first served basis. More kits could be made available to the town next year. 

Connecticut residents are urged to test their homes for radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Radon is a radioactive gas formed from the decay of naturally occurring uranium. It is found in rock, soil and water. Health officials estimate that radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States. 

Residents can call the New Fairfield Health Department at 203-312-5640 to pick up a test kit. Residents may conduct the test themselves, or set up an appointment with the Sanitarian to conduct the testing.  

Radon in outdoor air poses a relatively low risk to human health, but it can enter homes from the surrounding soil and become a health hazard inside buildings.  Radon is odorless and invisible. Radon problems can be corrected by a qualified radon contractor, with costs typically ranging between $1,200 and $1,500.