Impact of Radon Causing Lung Cancer

We all know that smoking kills, but what many don't realize is that it is exposure to Radon that causes the lung cancer that inflicts most smokers, and is the single greatest factor of lung cancer in non-smokers. The US Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of the Surgeon General have estimated that radon causes as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Lung cancer induced by Radon costs over $2 billion dollars every year in direct and indirect healthcare costs.

What is Radon?

In layman's terms, Radon is a radioactive gas that causes cancer. Though Radon traces might be present in your home, you cannot see, smell or taste it.

If you smoke and your home has high levels of radon, your risk of developing Lung Cancer is very high. Children are more sensitive to Radon because of their high respiration rate and rapidly dividing cells. They are more vulnerable to damage caused by radiation.

The US EPA says that 1 in 3 homes that were checked in seven states had Radon screening levels of over 4 pCi/L, which is the recommended level for safe Radon exposure. Though there is no "safe level" for Radon exposure, it is agreed that the risk of death due to Radon at 4 pCi/l is approximately 1 in 100. The alpha radiation that Radon emits is the same as that emitted by radiation sources like Plutonium.

The statistics are terrifying. If a home has radon levels of 4 pCi/l or greater, it is equivalent to the family being exposed to 35 times as much radiation as allowed by the National Regulatory Commission, if they were standing next to a fenced radioactive waste site. A school student spending 8 hours per day in a classroom with 4 pCi/l of Radon receives almost 10 times as much radiation as allowed at the edge of a nuclear power plant.

How does it get to us?

Radon occurs naturally as a radioactive gas, it comes from the natural breakdown of Uranium. The radio active decay of Uranium causes Radon to be present in igneous rock and soil, and even in water in some cases.

Humans are exposed to Radon through ingestion and inhalation. Radon that is present in the ground, water or building materials can enter living and working spaces and disintegrate. High radon concentrations in groundwater can contribute to exposure through ingestion, but inhalation of radon as it is released from water is typically more important.

Testing for Radon

Testing for Radon is the only way in which you can know the Radon levels present in your home. You can hire someone to get your home tested for Radon; there are also simple test kits for about $20 that are available at hardware stores. These kits are normally to be placed in the lowest living area of the home; they should be left in place for a few days and then sent to the manufacturer who then reports back with a radon level reading.