Radioactive Home Invasion

Radon in your home can kill you, but Trump is cutting funding for prevention programs.

- Michelle Martin

IN 2010, Gail Orcutt was diagnosed with lung cancer. The diagnosis came as a shock to the nonsmoker, who eventually had her entire left lung removed. She had no idea how she could have developed the disease until she came across an article about radon and learned it was the top cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers. She also discovered that her state, Iowa, has particularly high levels of radon, so she immediately had her home tested and found elevated levels. Remediation, the removal of radon from her home, was a simple process that took one day and left her wishing she had done it years ago.

Most people are largely unaware that their homes could be putting their health at risk this way. Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that is odorless, tasteless and invisible, and the only way to know if it is in your home is to have a test done. A product of decaying uranium, radon gas permeates the soil, entering homes through cracks and holes in the foundation. It collects at higher concentrations indoors than outdoors, and levels can fluctuate depending on airflow in the home. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer (after smoking), and it kills approximately 21,000 Americans per year, many of whom are unknowingly poisoned in their homes.

The EPA has had a limited budget dedicated to educating the public about the threat of radon, but even those funds may soon disappear. The National Association of Clean Air Agencies recently shared President Donald Trump’s proposed EPA budget cuts on its website; the move would eliminate the Indoor Air Radon Program and State Indoor Radon Grants.