Radon
Topic Overview
What is radon?
Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas. It comes from the breakdown of uranium, which is a natural part of soil and rock. Radon is found in rock, soil, water, building materials (such as granite or shale), and natural gas. Radon cannot be detected by human senses because it is odourless, tasteless, and invisible.
How does radon exposure occur?
Any home, school, office, or other building can have a radon problem. Radon may seep in through cracks and pores in the foundation of a house built on radon-contaminated soil. Radon is found in many homes, new and old, well-sealed or drafty. You don't have to have a basement to have a radon problem. The radon can then become trapped inside, especially if the home is well-insulated.
Radon is found in homes all over the world, including Canada. In the United States, studies have shown that nearly 1 out of every 15 homes has unsafe levels of radon.1, 2
What are the health effects of radon exposure?
Long-term exposure to radon has been linked with lung cancer. Radon is now the second leading cause of lung cancer, after tobacco smoking. It is estimated to cause between 1,500 to 2,000 lung cancer deaths per year in Canada.3. The risk of lung cancer is even higher when these causes are combined: smokers have a significantly higher risk for radon-associated lung cancer than non-smokers.
Can radon exposure be prevented?
You can greatly reduce levels of radon in home, school, and work environments either by preventing it from entering buildings or by venting it out. When having radon professionally vented from your home or office, it is important to have a reputable company's help in following the guidelines set up by Health Canada. For information on how to check or reduce radon levels in your home or workplace, contact your local or provincial environmental office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Learning about radon:
Testing for radon:
Health effects of radon exposure:
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| Author: | Douglas Dana Monica Rhodes | Last Updated: April 26, 2007 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Andrew Swan, MD, CCFP, FCFP - Family Medicine R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care, Medical Toxicology | |
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