Cancer-causing gas can be found at home; All you need to know

Did you know that a cancer-causing gas could be lurking in your home? Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas, is often found in high concentrations indoors, especially in homes and workplaces as per the World Health Organization. In fact, radon is one of the leading causes of lung cancer, making it crucial to understand the risks associated with it and how to protect yourself and your loved ones.

What is Radon?
Radon is a radioactive gas that is both colorless and odorless, making it undetectable without proper testing. It is produced from the natural decay of uranium, which is present in varying amounts in rocks, soils, and even water sources.

Image: Canva

Where does Radon hide?

Expand

While radon is present outdoors, it quickly dilutes to harmless levels. However, indoors, especially in poorly ventilated areas like basements, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels. Radon levels indoors can vary greatly, ranging from 10 Bq/m3 to more than 10,000 Bq/m3.


What are the health effects of Radon?
Radon is a major contributor to lung cancer, responsible for between 3% to 14% of all cases, depending on the radon levels and smoking prevalence in a particular area. Even low concentrations of radon, such as those commonly found in homes, can pose significant health risks.



Smokers are at an even higher risk, as the synergistic effects of radon exposure and smoking greatly increase the likelihood of developing lung cancer. In fact, smokers are estimated to be 25 times more at risk from radon exposure than non-smokers.

For most people, the greatest exposure to radon occurs in their homes. Radon enters buildings through cracks in floors, gaps around pipes, and other openings. Radon levels can vary not only between different buildings but also within the same building from day to day and even hour to hour.

How to reduce Radon levels?
Thankfully, there are ways to measure and reduce radon levels in indoor settings. Simple and inexpensive tests (radon gas detector) can measure radon levels in your home, allowing you to take action if levels are too high.

Methods for reducing radon levels include increasing under-floor ventilation, sealing cracks and openings, and improving overall ventilation within the building. Passive mitigation systems can reduce indoor radon levels by more than 50%, and the addition of radon ventilation fans can further reduce levels.

In many countries, drinking water from groundwater sources can also contain radon. While there isn’t a confirmed link between radon in drinking water and an increased risk of cancer, it’s essential to be cautious. Radon dissolved in drinking water is released into indoor air, where it can contribute to overall radon levels.