RADON IN YOUR HOME
One in seven Vermont homes has elevated levels of radon. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that has no color, smell or taste. Radon comes from the decay of uranium, which is a radioactive element found naturally in the Earth’s crust. Over billions of years, uranium decays into radium, and eventually, radon. Radon is present in outdoor air, and radon levels can build up inside people’s homes. Unless you test for it, there is no way of knowing if radon is present in your home.
HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADON
Everyone is exposed to some radon in indoor and outdoor air. Breathing air with radon increases a person’s risk of getting lung cancer. A person’s lung cancer risk due to radon depends on the level of radon in the air they breathe, how long they are exposed, and whether or not they are a smoker. Radon decays into radioactive particles that damage lung tissue and can lead to lung cancer over the course of a person’s lifetime.