Radon test kits will be available free of charge at the Lenawee County Health Department during January, which is National Radon Action Month.

Any Lenawee County resident who has not had their home tested for radon is encouraged to pick up a kit from the health department in the Human Services Building, 1040 S. Winter St. in Adrian. Business hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in almost any kind of soil or rock, according to a news release. It travels through the ground and when released into the atmosphere is quickly diluted. However, when it enters a building through openings in the foundation floor or walls it can be more concentrated. Exposure to radon increases a person’s risk of contracting lung cancer. The federal Environmental Protection Agency estimates that radon results in more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the United States.