Lesson 2

Why is radon a health problem?

Slide 2-2

Radon and lung cancer

• Radon is largest source of radiation exposure to general public

• Radon is leading cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers– Only cigarette smoking

causes more deaths from lung cancer

– Radon causes more deaths than secondhand smoke

• Reducing radon in homes could reduce radon-related lung cancers by about 1/3– Home inspectors can

help when they measure radon levels accurately

Slide 2-3

What do you hear people say about radon?

Radon can’t really hurt you. The only problem is

those government alarmists, who are

always trying to scare us about some

environmental hazard. There’s really nothing to

worry about.

Have you heard statements like this?Do you agree with this statement?

Slide 2-4

The facts about radon

• Respected national and international organizations agree that radon causes lung cancer

• All radon studies confirm the connection between radon exposure and lung cancer

• American Lung Association

• American Medical Association

• American Public Health Association

• National Academy of Sciences

• U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• World Health Organization

Slide 2-5

Can you fill in the numbers?

• Annual deaths (1995) from lung cancer: ???

• Total radon-related deaths per year: ???

• Average years of life lost for radon-related lung cancer: ???

Slide 2-6

Radon and lung cancer

• Annual deaths (1995) from lung cancer: 146,400

• Total radon-related deaths per year: 21,000 (14%)

• Average years of life lost for radon-related lung cancer: 17

Slide 2-7

How radon harms the lungs

• Radon gas is inhaled• Radon decay products become

trapped in the lungs• As products decay, some

release alpha radiation• Radiation damages lung tissue• Even very small exposures to

radon can cause lung cancer– No known safe level of radon

• Radon causes no immediate symptoms– Lung cancer usually occurs 5 to 25 years after

exposure• Cancer cells spread to other parts of the body

Slide 2-8

Lung cancer is deadly

• 60% of people with lung cancer die within 1 year of diagnosis

• 70-80% die within 2 years of diagnosis

• The leading cause of cancer death for men and women– Kills more people than

colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined

Slide 2-9

Radon and other health concerns

• No evidence that radon causes other respiratory diseases, such as asthma

• No evidence that children are at greater risk of radon-induced lung cancer than adults

Slide 2-10

Cancer deaths from radon in tap water

Stomach cancer11%

Lung cancer89%

Stomach cancer from swallowing water that contains radon accounts for 11% of those deaths

Lung cancer from breathing radon released by water—as in showering or washing dishes—accounts for 89% of those deaths

Total168 cancer deaths per year

related to radon in water

Slide 2-11

Match cause withestimated deaths per year

21,00017,400

8,000

2,8003,900

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Radon Drunkdriving

Falls in thehome

Drownings Home fires

Cause

Drownings

Drunk driving

Falls in the home

Home fires

Radon

Slide 2-12

Relative risk:estimated deaths per year

21,000

3,900 2,800

8,000

17,400

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

Radon Drunkdriving

Falls in thehome

Drownings Home fires

Slide 2-13

Risk factors

• Duration of exposureLonger exposure time =

greater risk

• Levels of radonHigher levels = greater risk

• SmokingIn combination with radon

exposure = greater riskDANGER

Lungs at work

Slide 2-14

Radon concentrations in the air

Picocuries/liter (pCi/L)

Average outdoor 0.4

Average indoor 1.3

Consider fixing the home 2-under 4

Action level: fix the home 4 or above

Action level is based on level that can be achieved technically.

It is not based on health standards. No known level of radon is safe.

Slide 2-15

How common are high radon levels?

EPA estimates that1 in 15 U.S. homeshas a radon concentration at or above the action level of 4 pCi/L Recall: EPA also estimates that reducing

radon in homes could reduce radon-related lung cancers by about one-third

Slide 2-16

Radon risk for people who never smoked

Radon level

(pCi/L)

If 1,000 nonsmokers were exposed to this radon level, the number who could get lung cancer

after lifetime exposure*

Lung cancer risk equal to**

20 36 35 times the risk of dying by drowning

10 18 20 times the risk of dying in a home fire

8 15 4 times the risk of dying in a fall

4 7 The risk of dying in a car crash

2 4 The risk of dying from poison

Slide 2-17

Radon risk for smokers

Radon level

(pCi/L)

If 1,000 smokers were exposed to this level, the number who could

get lung cancer after lifetime

exposure*

Lung cancer risk equal to**

20 260 250 times the risk of dying by drowning

10 150 200 times the risk of dying in a home fire

8 120 30 times the risk of dying in a fall

4 62 5 times the risk of dying in a car crash

2 32 6 times the risk of dying from poison

Slide 2-18

Radon risk comparison

Radon level (pCi/L)

People who never smoked

People who smoke

20 36 260

10 18 150

8 15 120

4 7 62

2 4 32

1.3 2 20

0.4  - 3

Estimated number of people who could get lung cancer

per 1,000 people exposed over a lifetime

See handout 2-1

Slide 2-19

National Health Advisory2005

“Indoor radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States …

Breathing it over prolonged periods can present a significant health risk to families all over the country.

It’s important to know that this threat is completely preventable.

Radon can be detected with a simple test and fixed through well-established venting techniques.”

Richard CarmonaU.S. Surgeon General

Slide 2-20

Role play activity

• Two characters– Home inspector– Client

• Action– Home inspector is trying to persuade a

client to have a home tested– Client is reluctant– Home inspector emphasizes health

issues

Slide 2-21

After the activity

• Inspector– What arguments

did you use to convince the client to have home tested?

– Could you have been more persuasive?

• If so, how?

• Client– Did the inspector

convince you?• Why or why not?

– Could the inspector have been more persuasive?

• If so, how?

Slide 2-22

Summary

Radon is known to cause lung cancer

Estimated radon-related deaths each year: 21,000

Reducing radon in homes could reduce radon-related lung cancers by about 1/3

EPA action level: 4 pCi/L

When people breathe in radon and its decay products, radioactive particles get trapped in the lungs– As particles decay, they

damage lung tissue– With long-term

exposure, damage increases risk of lung cancer

Slide 2-23

Summary

Chances of developing lung cancer depend on• Duration of exposure• Level of radon in the home• Smoking

– Greatly increases the risk of developing lung cancer

Slide 2-24

Questions?

• About why radon is a health problem

Slide 2-25

Check your understanding

• See handout 2-2