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Onslow County Health Department offering free radon testing kits

The Onslow County Health Department is offering free testing kits so residents can check radon levels in their home. George Olsen has more.

Radon is an odorless, colorless gas that is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, with up to 22,000 Americans dying each year from radon-induced lung cancer. Homes are particularly prone to a radon build-up in winter months as windows stay shut to keep heat in. The Onslow County Health Department is teaming up with the state’s Radon program to provide free testing kits starting January 4. Homeowners with high radon levels who meet federal poverty criteria may also be eligible for forgivable loans to mitigate any radon problems. A limited number of free radon kits are available. When kits run out the NC Radon website will offer test kits at a reduced cost of $6.00.  I’m George Olsen.

UPDATE -- The Carteret County Health Department has announced a limited (50) supply of free radon testing kits available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Tuesday, January 5.

George Olsen is a 1977 Havelock High School graduate. He received his B.A. in Broadcast Journalism from the University of South Carolina in 1982 where he got his first taste of non-commercial radio working for their student station WUSC. After graduation he worked about five years in commercial radio before coming to work at Public Radio East where he has remained since outside of a nearly 3-year stint as jazz and operations coordinator at WUAL in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in the early 1990s. On his return to eastern North Carolina he hosted classical music for Public Radio East before moving into the Morning Edition host position and now can be heard on All Things Considered. He also hosts and produces The Sound, five hours of Americana, Roots Rock and Contemporary Folk weekday evenings on PRE Public Radio East News & Ideas, and is a news and feature producer for Public Radio East.