The Vermont Department of Health is testing child-care centers for radon in four Northeast Kingdom communities.
The testing is mandated by Head Start and included in the EPA's plan to reduce the risk of radon in schools and other child-care facilities.
Prolonged exposure to radon, a colorless, odorless gas, is a leading cause of lung cancer in the United States.
Child-care centers in Newport, Lyndonville, St. Johnsbury and Derby are being tested at the request of Northeast Kingdom Community Action.
Nearly 200 children are educated and cared for by the group's Head Start program.
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