Indoor Radon Gas Exposure Is the Leading Cause of Lung Cancer Second Only to Smoking
February 16, 2011 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis 
Graphic courtesy of the World Health Organization.
Several federal agencies are planning to meet sometime by the end of this month to discuss measures for reducing radon risk in housing and buildings that they either operate or regulate.
Last November, agencies that included the U.S. Environmental Protection (EPA), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Veterans Administration (VA) met for a Federal Radon Summit to address growing concern over potentially high levels of radon.
Right now, homes and buildings operated and regulated by government agencies are not required to undergo mandatory testing for radon, and HUD doesn’t require radon testing of homes that are being insured under the U.S. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance program.
The concerns come because the EPA now calculates that, “Nearly one out of every 15 homes in the United States is estimated to have elevated radon levels,” in its Citizens Guide to Radon.
Radon is a colorless and odorless radioactive gas. It comes from naturally decaying uranium, which is found in most soil. The way that radon gets into a home or building space is that it travels up through the ground to the air above and enters through cracks or holes in the foundation.
When trapped indoors, radon builds up and the problems begin. The EPA estimates that about 21,000 annual lung cancer deaths are radon related. The agency also found that indoor radon increases the risk of a smoker developing lung cancer.
The EPA says its findings come from a report by the National Academy of Sciences, which also concludes that “radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced similar finding about radon gas, saying that, “It is the second most important risk factor for lung cancer, causing between six and 15 percent of all cases.”
Dr. Mike Repacholi, coordinator of the WHO’s radiation and environmental health unit, says that, “Radon poses an easily reducible health risk to populations all over the world, but has up to now not received widespread attention.
“Radon in homes accounts for 50 percent of the public’s exposure to naturally occurring sources of radiation in many countries.”
While no level of radon gas is considered safe, in the United States, the EPA regards radon as a health threat that needs addressing when its level reaches four picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher in any indoor environment.
It’s recommended that everyone test their home for radon gas. It can be done with a ‘Do-It-Yourself” test kit that you can get from a hardware store or online.
Two Basic Ways To Check For Radon Gas
Short-Term Tests:
The fastest way to test for radon is through short-term tests. They remain in a home from two to 90 days, depending on the testing device. Charcoal canisters, charcoal liquid scintillations, alpha tracks, electret ion chambers, and continuous monitors are the most commonly used short-term tests.
Since radon levels tend to vary from day to day and season to season, a short-term test is less likely to give you a year-round average radon level than a long-term test. If you need fast reliable results, then your best option is a short-term test followed immediately by another short-term test to verify the results.
The results probably won’t ever be exactly the same because of atmospheric variables, but if they’re similar it means you did the test right. Then, if the results are near the danger level, it’s time to call in a professional to fix your home (which will require a lot of ventilation and foundation sealing work).
Long-Term Tests:
Long-term tests stay in a home for more than 90 days. Alpha tracks and electret detectors are usually used for this kind of test. A long-term test will give you a more accurate reading of your home’s year-round average radon level than a short-term test.
How To Use The Test Kits
First, read the instructions that come with whatever test kit you buy. Then, if you’re doing a short-term test, close the windows and outside doors, and keep them closed as much as possible during the test. You shouldn’t conduct short-term tests during unusually severe storms or periods of unusually high winds.
If you’re doing a short-term test that will only last a few days, make sure that you close your windows and outside doors at least 12 hours before beginning the test. During the test period, you can still use your heating and air conditioning systems, but not fans or any other machines that bring in air from the outside.
A test kit should be placed in the lowest frequently-used part of a home (like a basement-level family room or den), but not in a kitchen or a bathroom. Place the kit at least two feet above the floor in a location that won’t be disturbed and is also away from drafts, high heat, high humidity, and exterior walls.
After leaving the kit in place for the appropriate amount of time, reseal the package, and send it to the designated lab for analysis. Most labs will send back results within a few weeks.
Finding A Qualified Radon Mitigation Contractor
In the United States, the EPA recommends that you contact your state radon office for the names of qualified radon contractors in your area. You can also contact private radon proficiency programs for lists of certified radon professionals.
Most methods for fixing a radon problem involve shoring up the foundation of a home, using a vent pipe system and fan, which pulls radon from beneath the home and vents it to the outside.
Choose your contractor carefully. Always remember to get more than one estimate and references. Solutions to fixing your radon problem will vary depending on the extent of the problem, the type of home, the outside environment, and other potential factors.
Radon In Water
Radon can also enter a home through the water supply if it comes from groundwater, such as a private well or a public water system that uses groundwater. This problem can be solved through a water filtration system in the home.
Experts consider radon less of a concern in water than they do in the air. The EPA says that “Research has shown that your risk of lung cancer from breathing radon from the air is much larger than your risk of stomach cancer from swallowing water with radon in it.”
Reader comments and input are always welcomed!
Reader Comments (2)
The EPA calculates that about one out of every 15 homes in the U.S. has elevated levels of radon. You can also find out more information about radon from the "Citizens Guide to Radon" highlighted link in the story. I'm glad that you found it useful.
Thanks for reading,
Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis
Writer/Publisher
GreenVitals