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Breathing radon over time increases your risk of lung cancer. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Nationally, the EPA estimates that about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer. Only smoking causes more lung cancer deaths.
Why is radon highly toxic?
Radon produces a radioactive dust in the air we breathe. The dust is trapped in our airways and emits radiation that damages the inside of our lungs. This damage, like the damage caused by smoking, increases our risk of lung cancer.
How long do you have to be exposed to radon for it to be harmful?
Radon gas can damage cells in your lungs, which can lead to cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States, though it usually takes 5 to 25 years to develop.
What does radon do to the body?
When someone breathes in radon gas, it goes into their lungs, exposing them to small amounts of radiation. This may damage the cells in the lining of the lungs and increase a person’s risk of lung cancer. The risk is higher in those who have lived for many years in a radon-contaminated house.
Where is radon most commonly found?
Radon levels are usually higher in basements, cellars and living spaces in contact with the ground. However, considerable radon concentration can also be found above the ground floor. Radon concentrations vary considerably between adjacent buildings, as well as within a building from day to day and from hour to hour.
Why is there so much radon in Cornwall?
There is background radiation everywhere, but Cornwall is on average more radioactive than most other parts of the British Isles because it is built largely on granite, an igneous rock which produces radon more rapidly than most other rock types.
What does radon smell like?
Radon gas does not have a smell. It is odorless, colorless, tasteless, and invisible to the human eye. If you have high levels of radon in your home, you won’t notice any immediate adverse effects.
What are the first signs of radon poisoning?
A persistent cough could be a sign that you have radon poisoning. Persistent cough. Hoarseness. Wheezing. Shortness of breath. Coughing up blood. Chest pain. Frequent infections like bronchitis and pneumonia. Loss of appetite.
Who is most susceptible to radon?
Exposure to radon can be especially high for people who use their basements as a living space. Like basements, homes with slab-on-grade foundations have many openings that allow radon to enter. Homes with crawl spaces (vented and sealed) can also have elevated radon levels.
Where in the US is the risk of radon exposure lowest?
Hawaii has the lowest radon levels of all 50 states, with an average level of 0 pCi/L.
What are 5 facts about radon?
5 Important Facts About Radon #1: Radon is a Radioactive Gas. #2: Any Location Might Have Radon. #3: New Homes Aren’t Immune to Radon. #4: Radon Exposure Equals Radiation Exposure. #5: Mitigation is Often Possible.
How do you eliminate radon?
Other radon reduction techniques that can be used in any type of home include: sealing, house or room pressurization, heat recovery ventilation and natural ventilation. Sealing cracks and other openings in the foundation is a basic part of most approaches to radon reduction.
Can radon cause dementia?
But more recent research, performed at the University of North Dakota, indicates that radon may be a significant cause of two diseases of the brain: Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The radon gas emitted from soil and rock is not a hazard in the open air.
Can air filters remove radon?
Air Purifiers are great for mold, dust, allergies, bacteria and viruses, and odors, but many people do not know that they can also help with toxins, gases and chemicals such as radon. The most important type of air filter to reduce radon levels is an activated carbon filter.
What type of soil is radon found in?
The U.S. Geological Survey explains that radon moves easily and quickly through porous soils, like sand and gravel, and slower through more solid soils, clay being one such example. Moisture has a lot to do with this.
What is the source of radon in homes?
It comes from the natural decay of uranium that is found in nearly all soils. It typically moves up through the ground to the air above and into your home through cracks and other holes in the foundation. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up.
What is the most radioactive place in the UK?
The middle of the vast moorland that is Dartmoor National Park is the worst place in the country for radon, as the ground rock is mostly granite, which contains small amounts of uranium that decays and produces the gas. Residents in Dartmoor can be exposed to as much as seven millisieverts of radiation per year.
Why does Dartmoor have radon?
Dartmoor National Park is another area in Devon with extremely high levels of radon due to the ground rock being mostly granite which contains small amounts of uranium that decays and produces the gas.
Why is there radon in the UK?
It comes from the rocks and soil found everywhere in the UK. The radon level in the air we breathe outside is very low but can be higher inside buildings. Radon is everywhere but some parts of the country are more likely to have high levels in buildings than others.
