Radon
Health Risks
Report: EPA's Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes
In 2003 the Agency updated the estimates of lung cancer risks from indoor radon based on the National Academy of Sciences’ (NAS) latest report on radon, the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report (1999). EPA worked closely with the Science Advisory Board (SAB), an independent panel of scientific experts, to determine how best to apply the risk models developed by the BEIR VI committee. The SAB’s advice and recommendations were incorporated modifying and extending the methods and approaches used in BEIR VI to construct a single model yielding results midway between the results obtained using the two models preferred by the BEIR VI committee. The Agency's updated calculation of a best estimate of annual lung cancer deaths from radon is about 21,000 (with an uncertainty range of 8,000 to 45,000), which is consistent with the estimates of the BEIR VI Report. A single risk model also permitted the Agency to calculate a numerical estimate of the risk per unit exposure [lung cancer deaths per working level month (WLM)] which will be used to update estimated lung cancer risks from radon in various publications, including “ A Citizen’s Guide to Radon.”
- Download EPA's Assessment of Risks from Radon in Homes (PDF) (98 pp., 526 K, about PDF) EPA 402-R-03-003.
- Download a Summary Fact Sheet (PDF, 2 pp., 26 K, about PDF) on the updated risk assessment.
The following is an updated chart of the lifetime risk of lung cancer death per person from radon exposure in homes (excerpted from the updated radon risk assessment).
| Radon Level a | Lifetime Risk of Lung Cancer Death (per person) from Radon Exposure in Homes b | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| pCi/L | Never Smokers | Current Smokers c | General Population |
| 20 | 36 out of 1,000 | 26 out of 100 | 11 out of 100 |
| 10 | 18 out of 1,000 | 15 out of 100 | 56 out of 1,000 |
| 8 | 15 out of 1,000 | 12 out of 100 | 45 out of 1,000 |
| 4 | 73 out of 10,000 | 62 out of 1,000 | 23 out of 1,000 |
| 2 | 37 out of 10,000 | 32 out of 1,000 | 12 out of 1,000 |
| 1.25 | 23 out of 10,000 | 20 out of 1,000 | 73 out of 10,000 |
| 0.4 | 73 out of 100,000 | 64 out of 10,000 | 23 out of 10,000 |
| a Assumes
constant lifetime exposure in homes at these levels. b Estimates are subject to uncertainties as discussed in Chapter VIII of the risk assessment. c Note: BEIR VI did not specify excess relative risks for current smokers. |
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For More Information on Radon Health Risks:
- Radon Frequently Asked Questions
- Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation (BEIR) VI Report: "The Health Effects of Exposure to Indoor Radon"
Test Your Home for Radon — It's Easy and Inexpensive
The U.S. Surgeon General and EPA recommend that all homes be tested. Read about radon health risks.
Fix your home if you have a radon level of 4 pCi/L or more.
You can test your home yourself or hire a professional.
If you have further questions about Radon, please call your State Radon Contact.
| Read "A Citizen's Guide To Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon |
| Buying or Selling a Home? Read the "Home Buyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" |
| Read A Consumer's Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home |
| Technical Support Document to the 1992 Citizens Guide [EPA 400-R-92-011, May 1992] Copies can be ordered from EPA's National Center for Environmental Publications (NSCEP) www.epa.gov/nscep |