Region 1: EPA New England
Radon: A Deadly, But Preventable Hazard
Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.
By Robert W. Varney
February
2003
The recent spate of frigid weather has most New Englanders spending more time inside. But, as we avoid the bitterly cold temperatures outside, we should be mindful of a potentially deadly health threat that lurks in one out of every four homes in New England.
Radon, a colorless, odorless gas that seeps into homes from the ground, kills as many as 22,000 people every year in the U.S. In fact, only cigarette smoking causes more lung cancer deaths than radon exposure.
The good news is that reducing the risk of radon is possible and usually inexpensive. The bad news is that many people are still unaware of the problem.
Radon is a radioactive gas that breaks down into particles that can become lodged in the lungs, where it can eventually cause cancer. A decay product of uranium that occurs naturally in soil and rock, radon seeps into homes through basement cracks and well water, eventually accumulating in the air to levels that can pose a serious health threat.
Radon is a particular concern in New England due to its unique geography. Buildings in this region are four times more likely to have elevated radon levels than in the rest of the country. Radon levels can soar during the colder months when we keep windows and doors closed and spend more time indoors. Radon can also be a danger in summer when homes are closed tight for air conditioning purposes.
The solution is simple: testing buildings and homes to see if there are high levels of radon, and where it is found, taking simple measures to reduce the concentrations indoors, usually through better venting in the basement.
Since the passage of the Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988, EPA has provided more than $10 million annually to states and other public health and consumer protection organizations to help promote public awareness about the importance of radon testing. About 20 million homes are estimated to have administered radon tests, about 700,000 homes with elevated radon levels have been fixed and about one million new homes have been built with radon-resistant features. Last year, EPA provided over $750,000 to New England states and tribes for radon awareness and abatement activities.
You can take simple steps to guard yourself from this threat. First, test your house to see if radon levels are a concern. Many radon test kits which meet EPA guidelines are priced under $25 and are available at local hardware and home improvement stores. Information on how to purchase a radon detector is available from https://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon and also from state and Indian radon programs at https://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/radon/index.html.
Testing your home for radon can be as simple as opening a package and following the instructions, which explain where to place a radon detector, how long a detector should be deployed, and where to mail the kit once the testing period had ended. Information on testing your home for radon and how to get a test kit is also available by calling 1-800-SOS-RADON.
If radon levels are high, a qualified radon abatement contractor can take a variety of simple actions to vent the basement or other areas so as to prevent a hazardous build-up of gas. The average cost for a contractor to lower radon levels in a home is about $1,200, although this can range from $500 to about $2,500. Refer to your state and Indian Nation Radon Program, access your local phone book, or visit https://www.epa.gov/iaq/radon to locate radon mitigators in your area.
Robert W. Varney is regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office in Boston.