RADON HEALTH RISKS & ACTION LEVELS

As radon gas decays, radioactive particles release small bursts of energy that can damage lung tissue. Not everyone exposed will develop lung cancer. The time between exposure and the onset of the disease may be many years. Your chances of getting lung cancer from radon depends 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

Note: If you are a former smoker, your risk may be higher.
*Lifetime risk of lung cancer deaths from EPA Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (EPA 402-R-03-003).
**Comparison data calculated using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 1999-2001 National Center for Injury Prevention and Control Reports.

RADON ACTION LEVELS: 4.0, 2.7, 2.0 pCi.L

4.0 pCi/L Achieving below the USEPA action level of 4.0 pCi/L can be accomplished for virtually any home. Older homes can present challenges due to construction practices when they were built and in special cases the amount of reductions achieved by mitigation can become a question of expense versus benefit.

2.7 pCi/L The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently modified their recommended action level from about 5.3 pCi/L to about 2.7 pCi/L. Intended to be verified by long term testing, this change reflects recommendations regarding life-long, direct exposure. The change is based upon recent population studies for statistical evidence of radon induced lung cancer.

2.0 pCi/L The USEPA recommends to consider action between 2 and 4 pCi/L since no exposure is safe. This guidance intends that one seek the lowest exposures possible. However, around about 2.0 pCi/L and lower, the lower limits of sensitivity for most test devices has been reached. Errors up to 300% have been seen to occur for some devices. While testing might often indicated less than 2.0 pCi/L (especially after mitigation), accurate verification for concentrations of less than 2.0 pCi/L is not truly feasible.

0.7 pCi/L Outside air anywhere on earth. This is so low that even the best equipment scientists use can only estimate between 0.4 to 0.8 pCi/L.