Radon: The Danger is Real By Jessica Karns

Radon gas is invisible and odorless but not harmless.  Every year radon induced lung cancer takes the lives of 22,000 people nationwide. In fact, exposure to radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, and one in 15 homes in America is at risk from elevated levels of radon.

Radon is a naturally occurring invisible, odorless and tasteless gas. It occurs when uranium in the soil and rock underground breaks down to form radon. As radon decays, it releases radioactive byproducts that are inhaled and can cause lung cancer. Radon enters a home through cracks in the walls, basement floors, foundations and other openings, and it can build up to dangerous concentrations.

As a radon professional I recommend that every homeowner test their home for radon to know their risk exposure. This is not enough.  Radon is a public health problem and should be tackled as such. Our nation as a whole must set into motion strategies to eliminate these avoidable lung cancer deaths. Our government has several bills in congress right now to do just that.  Bills that would provide tax credits for homeowners to pay for radon mitigation systems and mandatory radon testing for real estate transactions so a buyer knows what the level is before he moves his family into a potentially dangerous environment.

One such piece of government oversight is The National Radon Action Plan.  This plan includes proven, effective strategies to reduce exposure to radon gas. Implementing these strategies would prevent an estimated 3,200 lung cancer deaths by 2020. The Plan seeks to reduce exposure in 5 million high-radon homes, apartments, schools and childcare centers.

Two top priorities in the plan approach radon mitigation from the finance/insurance side and through the state building codes. The first strategy is to make radon testing and systems to reduce radon a standard practice in housing finance and insurance programs. In other words, before a home can be financed or insured it must be tested and, if needed, radon mitigation measures put in place. The second strategy would incorporate radon risk reduction systems in state building codes. The Lung Association and partners are already working to put these priorities in place by meeting with groups, including housing finance and building code developers.

This plan builds on the work of the Federal Radon Action Plan adopted in 2011. Under that plan, federal agencies made several key steps using available authority and resources to advance the battle against radon. Key federal partners leading the way in the National Radon Action Plan are the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Radon exposure is a serious public health threat, but we can work together to reduce the risk. As national strategies continue to be implemented, you can do your part by testing your home, and if the radon level is unsafe, take action to reduce it. Do it to protect your family and make sure you don’t become a statistic.