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The article below was published in the January 2011 issue of Natural Triad Magazine.
http://content.yudu.com/Library/A1qhf4/NaturalTriadJanuary2/resources/46.htm
By Dusty Donaldson
What action would you take to protect your family if you suspected a killer was in your home?
Approximately 21,000 Americans will die from radon-induced lung cancer this year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In fact, more Americans will die from radon-induced lung cancer than from AIDS, drunk driving, drowning or home fires. We protect ourselves from these other dangers by avoiding risky behaviors, and installing appropriate safety devices and monitors.
Yet, even though radon poses a significantly greater threat, little is done to protect us from this mysterious killer. The danger of radon exposure and the simple steps to take to eliminate that danger are easy to understand. The only mystery surrounding radon is why everyone has not been warned.
Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer in people who never smoked. And for current or former smokers, exposure to radon is like pouring gasoline on a fire. Research shows that radon exposure can more than triple the risk of developing lung cancer for both smokers and nonsmokers.
What is Radon?
Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas released by the naturally-occurring decomposition of uranium in soil, rock and water. In the atmosphere, radon is not a threat to humans. However, when trapped in our home, school or office, radon levels can become concentrated.
When we breathe air with radon gas, radioactive particles embed themselves into our lung tissue. Radon causes lung cancer, which is the number one cause of cancer deaths. More Americans die from lung cancer than from all the other major cancers combined.
Radon gas enters our homes through cracks in floors, walls or foundations. It seeps in through gaps around pipes and other small openings. The air pressure inside a home is usually lower than pressure around the home’s foundation. This causes a vacuum effect that sucks radon out of the soil and bedrock and into the home. Radon also enters the home through water. When radon-infused water is used for showering, radon gas is released into the air in the home.
Nearly 1 out of 15 homes in the U.S. is estimated to have elevated radon levels, according to the EPA. Although dangerous levels of radon have been found in all areas of the country, certain geographical areas are classified as having higher concentrations of radon than others. The EPA evaluated the indoor radon potential in every county across the nation. To classify the potential for elevated indoor radon risk, the EPA assigned three color codes—red, orange and yellow. Red has the potential highest concentration; orange moderate; and yellow low.
In North Carolina, Forsyth County is on the cusp of increased radon concentration. Generally speaking, counties west of and including Forsyth are classified as either moderate or high potential concentration or risk. Eight counties in the state are classified as red—the highest risk. Red counties include the following: Alleghany, Buncombe, Cherokee, Henderson, Mitchell, Rockingham, Transylvania and Watauga.
Most of the counties east of and including Guilford are classified as “low potential” for elevated radon concentrations. However, deadly levels have even been detected in all zones. The only way to know if the radon level in your home is safe is to test.
How to Test for Radon
Radon testing is cheap and easy. There are short-term tests and long-term tests. For fast results, short-term tests are the most common, inexpensive and easy-to-use. The short-term, charcoal-activated radon test kit is available at most home improvement stores or online. Charcoal-activated test kits usually include a postage-paid mailer, lab analysis with the results delivered to you via email or mailed to your home. This type of kit usually will cost between $12 and $20. (Make certain your kit includes the lab analysis or else you may have to pay additional fees for the lab results.)
Conducting the short-term test will take at least 3 days but no longer than 7 days. Follow the instructions for placing the test in the lowest lived-in area of your home. Radon is heavier than air, which is why testing should be done in the lowest lived-in area of the home. Complete the form on the outside of the kit with the date and time you started the test, as well as your name, address and email, if you request the lab results be sent to you via email. There are other questions and instructions, such as circling the average temperature of the room. Place the test away from drafts or open windows and just forget about it for a few days. It’s important that you do not forget about it too long, though. Radon breaks down and, after 7 days, the test results will be inconclusive. So be certain to mail the kit back before then.
Within a few weeks, your radon test lab results will be sent to you, along with recommendations based on the results. Radon levels are measured in pico curies per liter (pCi/L). There is no known safe level of exposure to radon. However, the EPA recommends that homeowners consider fixing their home for radon levels between 2 pCi/L and 4 pCi/L. The EPA recommends homes be mitigated if the radon level is 4 pCi/L or more. (see Mitigation figure on right)
Radon Mitigation
If your short-term radon test kit indicated that your home has an elevated level of radon, you may want to retest to confirm the results before mitigating. If your home needs to mitigated, don’t panic. The cost is quite reasonable and inexpensive compared to other homeowner repairs. The average cost of mitigating a home is $1,200.
Gloria Linnertz, a friend who lost her husband to radon-induced lung cancer, says the cost to test and mitigate a home is “cheaper than treating lung cancer...and less painful.”
The EPA recommends that you have a qualified radon mitigation contractor fix your home. Not using a qualified mitigation contractor could actually increase the radon level in your home.
Conclusion
Anyone can get lung cancer—yes, even you. Even if you never smoked, you could be at risk. January is Radon Action Month. Take care of yourself and others living in your home. Purchase a radon test kit and test your home. The test is easy, inexpensive and may save your life.
If you smoke, and would like to quit, contact the North Carolina Quitline at www.quitlinenc.org or by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669). If you already quit smoking, congratulations! You may not realize that you remain at a significantly high risk for developing lung cancer. Radon exposure greatly adds to that risk. Consider taking the next step in protecting your health and the health of others in your home by testing for radon.
For more information about radon test kits and mitigation, go to www.epa.gov/radon.
Dusty Donaldson is a lung cancer survivor and founder of the Dusty Joy Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to lung cancer education and early detection and compassion for those touched lung cancer. For more information about the Dusty Joy Foundation, visit http://www.dustyjoy.org/.
United States