Indoor Exposure to Radon
Background
Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Radon gas can move from the ground to the air inside a building through cracks and other openings in the foundation. According to the U.S. EPA, indoor radon exposure is responsible for an estimated 21,000 lung cancer deaths in the country each year. This makes radon the second leading cause of lung cancer overall, and the leading cause among non-smokers.
Elevated indoor radon levels have been found in every state. Because you cannot see, smell, or taste radon gas, the only way to know the radon level in a particular building is to test the indoor air for radon. Testing can be done directly by the owner or occupant with a test kit or through a professional radon service provider.
EPA has established a radon “action level” of 4.0 picoCuries per liter of air (pCi/L) – the level at which a building owner should take action to reduce radon in the indoor air. (Since there is no known safe level of exposure to radon, EPA recommends that people also consider radon mitigation when radon levels are between 2.0 pCi/L and 4.0 pCi/L.) Radon mitigation methods and standards are well established and costs are comparable to other common home repairs. There are national certification programs, as well as licensing requirements in some states, for radon testing and mitigation service professionals.
ELI has developed research reports and other materials that discuss policy strategies for reducing radon risks. Research reports highlight state policies in effect as of the date of publication. Other materials have been updated periodically to reflect new policy developments.
ELI Radon Materials
Database of State Indoor Air Quality Laws (Radon Excerpt)
Topics in School Environmental Health - Overview of State Laws: Radon
Radon Control in New Home Construction: ELI Policy Brief
Indoor Air Quality in Rental Dwellings: ELI Policy Brief
Radon in Child Care: Review of State Policies (2021)
Reducing Environmental Exposures in Child Care Facilities: A Review of State Policy (2015)
Radon in Homes: Strengthening State Policy to Reduce Risk and Save Lives (2012)
Radon in Rental Housing: Legal and Policy Strategies for Reducing Health Risks (1994)
Opportunities for Policy Action
The dangers of radon gas became widely understood in the 1980s. Many buildings have since tested for and fixed radon problems, but millions are still affected by elevated radon levels. And while a considerable number of states have adopted radon laws and regulations, significant policy gaps remain. ELI materials describe existing state radon policies and opportunities for new policies in the following key areas.
Certification of Radon Professionals. A number of states help ensure the availability of skilled radon testing and mitigation services, as well as advance radon data collection, by requiring licensing or certification of radon service professionals.
Radon in New Home Construction. Construction of a new home offers the possibility of reducing radon levels from the start, and an increasing number of states require the use of radon control techniques in the construction of new homes. States can go further by requiring that newly-constructed homes are tested for radon prior to occupancy and by specifying steps to be taken if testing reveals elevated radon levels.
Radon in the Real Estate Transaction. Many states take advantage of the real estate transaction as an opportunity to reduce radon risks by requiring disclosure to buyers of known radon testing or mitigation of the property. Some states have begun to expand on this by requiring that sellers provide to buyers a radon fact sheet, brochure, and/or warning statement. States can also consider requiring radon testing as part of the real estate transaction.
Radon in Rental Dwellings. States can protect tenants from radon hazards by adopting or revising landlord-tenant laws, housing codes, and other policies to include radon notification, testing, and mitigation requirements and to provide legal recourse for tenants if radon hazards are not mitigated.
Financial Assistance. States can develop stand-alone programs or can leverage existing financial assistance programs to help low-income homeowners or owners of affordable rental housing pay for the assessment and mitigation of elevated radon levels.
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