The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. are radon related. Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Radon is an odorless, tasteless and invisible gas produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Radon is a form of ionizing radiation and a proven carcinogen. Lung cancer is the only known effect on human health from exposure to radon in air. Thus far, there is no evidence that children are at greater risk of lung cancer than are adults.

Radon is found in outdoor air and in the indoor air of buildings of all types. The EPA recommends that homes be corrected if the radon level is 4 pCi/L (pico Curies per Liter) or more. Because there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, the EPA also recommends that Americans consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. The average radon concentration in the indoor air of America’s homes is about 1.3 pCi/L. This is the level that the EPA based its estimate of 20,000 radon-related lung cancers a year upon.

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