The University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Radon Education Program is offering educational presentations and free radon test kits across Nevada.

One presentation is scheduled for 6pm Jan. 23 at the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency offices in Stateline. University of Nevada Cooperative Extension has partnered with the California Radon Program, so free radon test kits will be available at the event for residents of both states.

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. It comes from the ground and can accumulate in homes, raising the risk of lung cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates 21,000 Americans die each year from radon-caused lung cancer, killing more people than secondhand smoke, drunk driving, house fires, and unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning combined.

In Nevada, one in four homes tested show radon concentrations at or above the EPA action level. The potential is higher in Stateline, where 67 percent of homes tested have an elevated radon level. Experts say living in a home with radon concentrations at the action level poses as much risk of developing lung cancer as smoking about half a pack of cigarettes a day.