Testing for radon in Westmoreland County will be as easy as checking out a book from the local library.
Forty digital radon testing kits are being stocked at Westmoreland County Libraries’ facilities, putting the library system at the forefront of the program nationwide through a partnership with Airthings, a tech company based in Norway that produces indoor air quality and radon monitors.
Diana Falk, director of the Norwin Public Library, is proud that the library network for breaking ground in the United States.
“We’ll catalog the kits just like we catalog our books and movies,” she said.
Radon is an odorless, colorless, radioactive gas. Pennsylvania has some of the highest concentrations of radon in the nation, due to its geology and older housing stock. Exposure to radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, according to the American Lung Association. Radon seeps into basements through cracks in walls, foundations and other openings.
The library lender model was developed in Norway 10 years ago, according to Airthings. It was adopted in Canada and, in the coming weeks, the program will be available at the Westmoreland County Libraries’ 26 locations. Libraries near Chicago also will be stocking the kits.
Ivar Koghrud, CEO of Airthings, said the program expansion will allow for even more people to see if radon is a problem at their home.
“As part of our commitment to helping people breathe better, raising awareness about the importance of radon monitoring is a top priority for Airthings,” Koghrud said in a statement. “We’re extremely proud of the success of our previous library lending programs, which have helped people in many communities gain access to radon testing.”
Airthings intends to expand the program to more part of the United States.
Questions about radon do come up once in awhile at the Norwin Public Library, Falk said, typically when someone is selling their home. The kits — which come with the Airthings’ Corentium Home digital device, educational materials and instructions — can be requested from any of the network’s libraries.
“We want them to be distributed throughout the county, so all the people have equal access to them,” she said.
