Over the last decade, Colorado has had a massive increase in people moving here. Either for the mountainous views, multi-culture city, or the legalization of marijuana, Denver has become a hot spot for people across the U.S. Although there are many pros for moving here, there are also cons. If you have never driven in the snow and are not equipped with the proper tires, you’ll find it very challenging and often disastrous driving after the first snow fall. Although this can be prevented, it takes the foresight and planning to avoid this. Another con that is often overlooked and not thought of is the massive amount of radon that seeps into over 95% of all counties in Colorado.
This graphic below shows the radon potential throughout Colorado. Radon gas is present wherever uranium naturally occurs in the soil. Different soils have different concentrations of uranium, but the mineral makeup of Colorado’s soil is particularly uranium dense. According to a spokesperson from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Colorado is a “highly mineralized state” with ample granite deposits, and the geological composition of areas across the state includes large amounts of naturally occurring uranium. In your home, the place where you spend most of your time may not be safe and killing you slowly.
Radon is often overlooked because you cannot smell, see, hear, or feel it. These natural properties make it easy to forget and not act on. However, over time radon will show its true colors in the form of lung cancer and will be too late to stop. Radon gas accounts for over 2x as many deaths per year than drunk driving yet can be easily mitigated. Radon can be easily tested in a couple of days and mitigated in a couple hours.
