Let’s not beat around the bush: lung cancer sucks and I don’t want anyone I know– or don’t know, for that matter– to get it. If you don’t smoke, great– we all know smoking is the number one cause of lung cancer. But just because you don’t smoke doesn’t mean you don’t live with other significant risk factors. I’m talking about radon.
Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer over all.
Second. As in, the number two. As in, 2. As in 21,000 cases of lung cancer per year.
So let’s talk more about radon. Here’s what the Oregon Health Authority says about it:
What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell, or taste. It is found everywhere in the world. Uranium naturally decays into radium that further breaks down into radon gas.
How does radon enter your home?
Because radon is a gas, it can seep up through the soil and enter buildings. Once radon enters a building, it is easily dispersed through the air, and will typically be at its highest concentration in the lowest level of the building. Radon gas itself is relatively harmless. It is the decay product of radon gas that release damaging energy particles leading to lung tissue damage when inhaled.
There are many different ways for radon to enter your home. Some of the ways include:
Cracks in solid floors
Construction joints
Cracks in walls
Gaps in suspended floors
Gaps around pipes
Cavities inside walls
The water supply
Keep this in mind (my emphasis):
Any home can have a radon problem. This means new and old homes, well- sealed and drafty homes, and homes with or without basements. In fact, you and your family are most likely to get your greatest radiation exposure at home. That is where you spend most of your time. — Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon from the EPA (PDF)
Here’s a really nice overview of this really nasty topic for the state of Oregon, courtesy of the Oregon Health Authority.
If you are reading from outside of Oregon, you can find your state’s resources by going here. (You’re looking for the headline that says Data and Information About Regional, State and Tribal Radon Programs.)
The video below, while kind of hokey, gives some good information.
There’s one problem with the video, in my opinion. According to the geologist in the video, “If you test and it comes out below 4, celebrate!”
Well, I don’t think so. Why? Let’s start by going back to the Oregon Health Authority:
How is radon measured?
Radon is measured by picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends taking corrective action if radon levels are 4.0 pCi/L or above.Since radon is a naturally occurring substance, you can never completely get rid of it. The average outdoor radon concentration is 0.4 pCi/L, whereas the average indoor radon concentration is 1.3 pCi/L. It is important to note that there is no safe level of radon; however, it is long-term exposure to elevated levels of radon that pose the most risk. You can reduce the risk by lowering the radon level in your home.
Here’s the But…
Today, we had a visit from Lawrence, of a local radon mitigation company. (Yes, he was here to give us a quote for radon mitigation.) In talking with Lawrence, I gathered some interesting factoids, plus some opportunities to practice math. (You know you were just longing for some math practice, right?)
1.0 pCi/L is equal to smoking 2.5 cigarettes a day (Here comes the math.)
2.5 cigarettes per/day x 365 days = 912.50 cigarettes per year.
Typically, there are 20 cigarettes in a U.S. pack of cigarettes.
How many packs would 912.5 cigarettes equal? 45.625
Living in a home with a radon level of only 1.0 pCi/L is the equivalent of smoking 45.625 packs of cigarettes per year.
So what about the EPA’s suggestion action level of 4 picocuries per liter?
4 pCi/L is the equivalent of smoking half a pack of cigarettes per day. It’s math time again.
Half of a pack x 365 days = 182 packs a year
These pesky little numbers are probably why, if you are poking around websites about radon detection and mitigation, you are starting to see the suggestion that anything above 2 pCi/L be mitigated. In fact, the World Health Organization adopted a recommended action level of 2.7 pCi/L after a multi-year study by 30 scientists. So let me share what the Oregon Health Authority is saying about testing, mitigation, etc., then I’ll throw in my two cents. (What, you thought I’d have nothing to say?)
What your test results mean:
EPA recommends you begin with a short term test for more immediate results. If your result is 4 pCi/L or higher, take a follow up test to be sure.
Depending on the results of your first test, follow up with either a long-term test or a second short term test. If your first test results are 4 to 8 pCi/L follow up with a long-term test. If your first test results are 8 pCi/L or above, follow up with another short-term test. If the average of your two short-term tests is 4 pCi/L or above, or the result of your long-term test was 4 pCi/L or above, fix your home. To learn more about how to fix your home, visit About Radon Mitigation.
If your test results are below the action level of 4.0 pCi/L, you may want to re-test in two to five years. You should test again if anything is done to the house that may change the air pressure like home renovation or the installation of new heating or air conditioning systems.
My Two Cents
The EPA recommendations above? That’s crazy talk. What they should be saying is, because there is no way to completely get rid of radon, you should get your radon level as low as you possibly can. Period, the end. Do I sound like a crazy person? Probably. But I’m a crazy person with lung cancer and I want to keep you from getting it, too.
The EPA’s 1986 numbers engender a sense of security: Oh, we don’t have to worry– our test shows we have a level of 3 pCi/L. Great. Now go back to the math practicum above and see what a 3 will get you. If you want a little more practice, check out how doctors figure out the likelihood of lung cancer based on your “pack years”– which is not the same as the number of packs of cigarettes per year you smoke. The more pack years you’ve smoked, the greater your likelihood of cancer. And, we can’t forget about heart disease, which is also linked to the number of pack years you’ve smoked.
From Kansas State University’s National Radon Program Services
Radon has a half-life of about four days—half of a given quantity of it breaks down every four days. When radon undergoes radioactive decay, it emits ionizing radiation in the form of alpha particles. It also produces short-lived decay products, often called progeny or daughters, some of which are also radioactive.
Unlike radon, the progeny are not gases and can easily attach to dust and other particles. Those particles can be transported by air and can also be breathed.
The decay of progeny continues until stable, non-radioactive progeny are formed. At each step in the decay process, radiation is released.
Sometimes, the term radon is used in a broad sense, referring to radon and its radioactive progeny all at once. When testing measures radiation from the progeny, rather than radon itself, the measurements are usually expressed in working level (WL) units. When radiation from radon is measured directly, the amount is usually expressed in picocuries per liter of air (pCi/L).
Why is 4 pCi/L the recommended action level for Radon?
EPA recommended this mitigation action level in 1986 for several reasons. First, at lower levels (2 pCi/L) measurement devices’ false negative errors increase threefold, and false positive errors increase twofold. Secondly, mitigation research indicates that elevated levels can be reduced to 4 pCi/L or less 95% of the time. Research shows that 2 pCi/L can be achieved 70% of the time. Further, today’s mitigation technology can reduce radon levels to between 2 and 4 pCi/L most of the time. Finally, cost benefit analysis performed in 1986 indicate that an action level of 4 pCi/L results in a cost of about $700,000 per lung cancer death saved. If the action level was set at 3 pCi/L, the cost would be $1.7 million, and if set at 2 pCi/L, the cost would be $2.4 million per lung cancer death saved. EPA states that 4 pCi/L is a recommended action level, yet homeowners can further reduce their potential lung cancer risk by mitigating homes that are below 4 pCi/L.
According to Lawrence, the EPA’s 1986 action number of 4 pCi/L was simply the number that could be most easily attained with the existing technologies/mechanics of the time. Considering that 1986 was 35 years ago, why hasn’t this number been re-visited?
Take a look at the last clause of the last sentence in the pulled out paragraph above: “yet homeowners can further reduce their potential lung cancer risk by mitigating homes that are below 4 pCi/L.” Given what’s known about radon, that’s a surprisingly gentle recommendation. (Gee, might that soft-pedaling just be related to the fact that the EPA is a funder of the National Radon Program Services?) (There I go, being all conspiracy theory again.)
In the end, the only thing that matters is that you test your home for radon. When we moved in, our radon numbers were fine. Now? Not so much. So we’re taking action. If you get creepy numbers, do long-term testing, or call someone in who can test for you. Then, GET RID OF THAT CRAP!
How do you test for radon?
Resources
General
A Citizen’s Guide to Radon by the EPA. A downloadable publication.
Kansas State University National Radon Program Services offers a wealth of information. Their FAQ is a good place to start.
Radon information by state by the EPA
Radon Basics: a free one-hour interactive online learning program from the American Lung Association designed to help people understand more about radon.
Oregon-Specific
Oregon Health Authority: Radon Gas
Indoor Radon Test Results Summary by zip code by the Oregon Radon Awareness Program. This table summarizes test results of indoor air for radon that test kit manufacturers have voluntarily provided to the Oregon Radon Awareness Program.
Skeleton image by Stefan Keller from Pixabay
Radon Caution image stolen (screenshot) from an unsuspecting website