Radon

Free radon kits temporarily unavailable from DEQ. Here's why.

By Dave Thompson • Nov 19, 2020

The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has a banner on its website, saying free radon tests are not available.

And there are reasons for that.

One is a testing program of schools for the odorless, colorless gas.

"We haven't tested North Dakota schools since the 90s," DEQ's Justin Otto said. "We felt it's time to go back to those schools and see what their radon levels are, because we want to make sure the kids, teachers and staff are safe."

Radon

By Prairie Public • Sep 5, 2018

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“What’s radon?” That question came up in a conversation recently. I suspect that the majority of North Dakotans have heard something about radon in our soils and that it is associated with lung cancer. It is definitely here, but I rarely hear mention of radon in conversations.

Radon is an element. It is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas. It is on the periodic table of elements over on the far-right column. Its symbol is Rn, and it has an atomic number of 86. But it is the radioactive aspect of radon that is of concern.