NM urges residents to test for radon

SANTA FE (AP) - The state Environment Department is urging residents to test their homes and businesses for radon.

The department is offering free test kits for residents who are willing to share their results with environmental officials for a statewide radon survey.

Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, enters buildings through basements, crawl spaces and foundation cracks. It causes about 22,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.

Environment Secretary Ron Curry says radon can go undetected because it is invisible and odorless and testing is the only way it can be detected.

The department, along with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, has designated this month as Radon Action Month.