Colorado Cancer Coalition’s new 2026—2030 Colorado Cancer Plan has eight goals to reduce cancer risk and improve care statewide. Radon is addressed in Goal 5 - Decrease Environmental Exposures That Lead to Cancer.
The Environmental Exposures section of the plan explains what radon is and that “It is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and the leading cause for people who don’t smoke.” The section encourages testing your home to know if radon is present.
Noting that 54.8 % of adults had tested their home for radon as of 2020, the new plan encourages more testing and mitigating high levels of radon in order to keep Colorado families safe. The Plan notes that “This work includes educating residents, builders, and local leaders about radon risks, supporting safe building practices, and making testing and repair help available, especially for families with fewer resources.”
Environmental factors, such as radon and air quality, continue to affect cancer risk and disproportionately impact certain communities in Colorado. The Plan goes on the explain that “Colorado is a hot spot for radon.” With 81% of Colorado counties falling into the highest-risk category for radon, the plan states that every home in Colorado should be tested, no matter the county or the age of the house.
Objective 5.1 is to “Increase home radon testing.” Steps include:
• Educate Colorado residents and policymakers about the hazards of radon exposure, and the
• importance of radon testing and mitigation using credentialed radon service providers who follow consensus standards of practice.
• Educate builders, code officials, city councils and county commissioners on the hazards of radon exposure and the importance of adopting radon-resistant new construction building codes.
• Support environmental equity through radon education, free radon testing, and the Low-Income Radon Mitigation Assistance directed at under-resourced communities.
• Provide radon education to the medical community, childcare facilities, and schools.
Highlighted in the plan is the Colorado Radon Program:
The Colorado Radon Program at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) works to reduce the risk of radon-related lung cancer in Colorado. The program focuses on increasing awareness of radon and encouraging radon testing by providing free and low-cost test kits to Colorado households. More than 12,500 free radon test kits were distributed to Colorado residents in early 2025. If elevated radon levels are found in a home, CDPHE’s Low Income Radon Mitigation Assistance Program can cover the cost of a radon mitigation system for qualified homeowners, making radon risk reduction accessible to more Coloradans. The mitigation assistance program is unique to Colorado and is not commonly available in other states. The Radon Mitigation Assistance Program also provides grants to support awareness, testing, and mitigation at the community level.
See the plan at https://coloradocancercoalition.org/colorado-cancer-plan/
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