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Radon Illnesses

Radon is a gas that results from the natural decay and breakdown of uranium in the rock and soil. The gas is invisible, odorless and tasteless and it is most dangerous within enclosed areas, such as buildings. Long-term exposure to radon can cause serious illness.

  1. National Health Advisory on Radon

    • On January 13, 2005, then-U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona issued a National Health Advisory on radon gas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency website. The advisory warned Americans about the health risk of breathing radon gas in indoor air and closed environments.

    Radon and Lung Cancer

    • Lung cancer is the only illness that has been definitively attributed to radon gas exposure, according to the EPA. Breathing radon gas is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall, according to the EPA.

    A Proven Carcinogen

    • Radon gas is a proven carcinogen, according to the EPA. Radon exposure is the cause of some 21,000 deaths due to lung cancer every year.

    World Health Organization on Radon

    • According to the World Health Organization's "International Radon Project," a world effort was launched by WHO in June 2005 to educate the public on radon and lung cancer. Radon is an easily reducible health risk that accounts for 50 percent of world exposure to naturally occurring radiation.

    Mining and Radon

    • Another closed environment where radon is known to cause lung cancer is in underground mining operations, according to the EPA. Proper ventilation in mines, as well as in homes and other closed building environments, helps lessen concentrated exposure to radon gas, which, in turn, decreases the risk of lung cancer.

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