Radon Gas: Indoor Air QualityCarolina Mann MainPublic Health & Social Justice PHE 510 12/2/08

Background Info•Radon is formed from the decay of

Uranium.• It is found in ground water and indoor air•Radon is a radioactive gas that is odorless,

invisible, and tasteless.•You are at risk when your home measures

at more than 4 pCi/L.

USGS, US Geological Survey 6/21/20001 . www.usgs.gov/newsroom. retrieved 11/6/2008

Who’s at Risk?• Energy Efficient

Homes• Homes with

basements• Homes with cracked

foundations• Buildings with poor

ventilation• Homes with poor

insulation

Worldwide

•Sweden•China•Spain•W. Germany•Netherlands•United States

To name a few countries.

Risk• Radon exposure is second

leading cause of lung cancer▫ Second to smoking

• Smokers and ex-smokers are at 5 times greater risk than life-long non-smokers

• Connection made from studying miners

• Length of time of exposure• Diagnosed through CT scans

Regulations• The US government does

not have any regulations regarding private residence radon exposure

• No regulations for public indoor air quality

• Policies are piecemealed together based on complaints

WHO• Radon Meeting March

2008• Working on international

framework to guide governments in creating regulations on construction and existing construction

• Looking @ measurements to be taken when buying and selling homes

Local Risk• SW Portland – West Hills• Alameda Ridge• North Portland• Northeast Portland• Columbia River• Some Southeast Portland areas

I, Cacophony, the copyright holder of this work

Bibliography• No Author. (2008, November 10). Radon: a silent killer you

can escape. KOIN Local 6. Retrieved November 16, 2008 http://www.koinlocal6.com/content/news/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=1f5e4567-2b3c-4610-a6ad-bd8d0d6880cc

• Pershagen, G, Akerblom, G, Axelson, O., et. Al. (1994). Residential Radon Exposure and Lung Cancer in Sweden. The New England Journal of Medicine, 3(330),159-164.

• Spengler, J.D and Sexton, K. (1983). Indoor Air Pollutions: A Public Health Perspective. Science, New Series,221(4605),9-17.

• World Health Organization. (2007). WHO International Radon Project Report of the Third Meeting (1st ed.). Munich, Germany: Edited by Hajo Zeeb.