Radon Outreach Program
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has concluded
radon is the biggest source of environmental radiation and is the second leading
cause of lung cancer. The Environmental Radiation Section is the agency within
Washington State that deals with radon issues.
What is radon?
Radon is a
naturally occurring radioactive gas that comes from the radioactive decay of
certain elements in the ground. When radium undergoes radioactive decay
radon gas is created. Radon is a noble gas, which means that it
does not chemically interact with other atoms. When radium in the soil
decays the radon produced can rise up into the air and possibly get into a building
and concentrate.
How can radon affect me?
Radon can cause
lung cancer. As radon and its daughter products radioactively decay, they
release energy in the form of particles and photons. These can hit cells
and damage or destroy them. Lung cancer can form when a cell is damaged
and the cell does not repair itself correctly. The more radon you are
exposed to the greater the opportunity for cell damage.
How can I tell if I have radon in my house?
The only way to
know if you have elevated levels of radon is to test. Easy to use test
kits are available online and from many home improvement and hardware stores.
Independent professional radon testers are often used when radon testing is done
as part of a real estate transaction.
What can I do if I have elevated levels?
There three
things that can help reduce radon levels in your house:
-
Make it harder
for radon to get in.
-
Make it easier
for radon to go somewhere other than your house.
-
Increase air
exchange with the outside, to remove the radon.
You can make it
harder for radon to get in by calking and sealing up cracks and penetrations in
your basement or slab, or by installing a good vapor barrier in your crawl
space. The goal is to have a gas tight barrier between the ground and the
inside of your home.
While your house is being built,
use Radon-Resistant New
Construction (RRNC) techniques to keep radon outside of your home. After the house is built a radon mitigation
system can still be installed to move radon from under your house to the
outside.
Increasing the
air exchange is easier in some places and at some times of year than others. If
you have a crawl space, be sure to keep the vents free or obstructions, so the
cross ventilation can remove radon and other soil gases.
I have a granite countertop. What should I do?
We recommend that all homes be tested for the presence of radon. If you have a
granite countertop and are concerned about radon, testing the air in your home
is the first step. Do-it-yourself test kits are available online (search on
“radon test kit”) and may be found in many hardware and home improvement stores
(call ahead to check that they are in stock). You can also have a certified
radon measurement specialist test your home. Lists of these professionals are
available online from the National Environmental
Health Association (http://radongas.org/) and the
National Radon Safety Board
(http://www.nrsb.org/). Unless testing shows elevated levels of radon, don’t
worry.
I’m going to get granite countertops, but they aren’t installed, yet. What
should I do?
Answer: It’s hard to give simple advice on this, as there are so many unknown
factors. The information available now indicates only a small portion of the
granite used in countertops has elevated levels of uranium and radium. Even
using a Geiger counter may not give useful information. If the stone is properly
sealed, there is little likelihood that the granite will cause a radon problem.
Even if the countertop is releasing some radiation, that does not mean it will
be a radon problem or public health concern. Based on our experience with radon
and radiation issues, we would not let this be the deciding factor on whether or
not to get granite countertops.
What about the radiation coming from the countertop?
Answer: The radiation is detectable from only a very short distance, and the
levels are very low. For a person to be exposed to a noticeable amount of
radiation, they would have to spend many hours per day lying on the counter.
This is unlikely, so the public health risk is extremely low.
Where can I get more information?
Radon-Specific Publications and Resources
are available online from the Environmental Protection Agency.
Contact Information
For questions about radon within Washington, contact
Mike Brennan or 360-236-3253
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