Eliminating Preventable Lung Cancer From Radon in the United States by Expanding Protections for All Communities and Buildings
Radon Is the Leading Environmental
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Cause of Lung Cancer Death
Radon exposure leads to more lung cancer deaths every year than any other environmental source in the United States — an estimated 21,000 lives are lost to lung cancer
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Radon is a radioactive , odorless , invisible gas that is found in soil and rocks . It seeps undetected into cracks and gaps in buildings , where it can be present in high concentrations . Because people spend most of their time indoors , high levels of radon can put their health at risk . The only way to find out if indoor air has high radon levels is through a simple test .
When dangerous levels of radon are found indoors , the solution can be quite straightforward . Qualified professionals can install a system that prevents high levels of radon from accumulating inside the building . New buildings can be designed and built using radon-resistant construction techniques . These efforts save lives today and into the future .
Despite 40 years of clear evidence that radon exposure indoors can cause lung cancer and undisputed knowledge that proper testing and mitigation can greatly reduce exposure , too many Americans still die from radon-induced lung cancer every year . Tragically , most never knew they faced a risk from indoor radon before receiving a lung cancer diagnosis .
The key steps to reduce radon-induced deaths from lung cancer are to increase public awareness of the threat , test all types of buildings for elevated radon levels , build a workforce of credentialed radon professionals who can fix radon problems following proven-effective standards , and ensure the availability of adequate funding to pay for testing and repairs .
Radon Is a Health Equity Challenge
Although radon is a potential risk in all communities , and EPA recommends that all buildings be tested , there is evidence that the benefits of radon risk-reduction measures are not equally shared . Homeowner households led by
The National Radon Action Plan | 2021 – 2025 people of color and by those with low incomes are less
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The Solution Is Straightforward
The benefits of fixing indoor radon to prevent lung cancers are enormous . For example , it is estimated that within typical multifamily housing , every dollar spent on radon testing and repairs returns $ 11 to $ 20 in avoided health care costs . More importantly , fixing radon levels could
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save years of healthy life for affected citizens . Finding and fixing high radon is an excellent investment in the health of our nation . It requires coordinated action from sectors and industries that , at first glance , may not appear to have strong points of intersection or overlapping missions — environment , housing , public health , real estate , development , finance , energy , service providers , health care , radiation science and others .
Under the inaugural National Radon Action Plan ( NRAP ) and this National Radon Action Plan for 2021 – 2025 ( NRAP | 2021 – 25 ), leaders from across multiple sectors have worked together for more than a decade to plan , guide and sustain nationwide radon action in an effort to protect every building in every community . With the costs of radon so great , the benefits of investment so clear , and the technical solutions to improve health so straightforward and available — it has never been more important to continue to drive action .
Coordinating National Radon Action Saves Lives : NRAP and NRAP | 2021 – 25
NRAP | 2021 – 25 is the third installment of a strategy anchored by the U . S . Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) to ramp up action on radon . The Federal Radon Action Plan ( FRAP ), released in 2011 , directed an expansion of
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