Radon
Health Effects
Surgeon General Health Advisory:
"Indoor radon gas
is a national health problem. Radon causes thousands of deaths each year. Millions
of homes have elevated radon levels. Homes should be tested for radon. When elevated
levels are confirmed, the problem should be corrected."
Radon gas decays into radioactive particles that can be breathed and get trapped in the lungs. As they break down further, these particles release small bursts of energy. This can damage lung tissue and lead to lung cancer over the course of a lifetime. Not everyone exposed to elevated levels of radon will develop lung cancer. And the time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years.
There is some uncertainty about the magnitude of radon health risks. However, more is known about radon risks than most other cancer-causing substances. This is because estimates of radon risks are based on studies of cancer in humans (underground miners) and the body of data is larger and more consistent than for most other carcinogens. Additional studies on more typical populations are underway.
Smoking combined with radon is an especially serious health risk.
| Radon Risk Comparison for Smokers and Nonsmokers | ||
| Radon Level | If 1,000 people who smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime... |
If 1,000 people who never smoked were exposed to this level over a lifetime... |
| 20 pCi/L (740 Bq/m3)* |
About 260 people could get lung cancer |
About 36 people could get lung cancer |
| 10 pCi/L (370 Bq/m3) |
About 150 people could get lung cancer |
About 18 people could get lung cancer |
| 8 pCi/L (296 Bq/m3) |
About 120 people could get lung cancer |
About 15 people could get lung cancer |
| 4 pCi/L (148 Bq/m3) |
About 62 people could get lung cancer |
About 7 people could get lung cancer |
| 2 pCi/L (74 Bq/m3) |
About 32 people could get lung cancer |
About 4 people could get lung cancer |
| 1.3 pCi/L (48.1 Bq/m3) |
About 20 people could get lung cancer |
About 2 people could get lung cancer |
| 0.4 pCi/L (14.8 Bq/m3) |
About 3 people could get lung cancer |
Less than 1 person could get lung cancer |
Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depend mostly on:
- How much radon is in your home
- The amount of time you spend in your home
- Whether you are a smoker or have ever smoked