Radon hazard in the 1980s
In the 1980s, radon was increasingly recognized as a significant health hazard in residential areas, largely following an alarming discovery in 1984 when a nuclear power engineer set off a radiation detector at work. This incident led to the revelation that his home contained radon levels 650 times higher than normal, prompting public health officials to acknowledge the severity of the issue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched initiatives to assess and mitigate radon risks, resulting in extensive surveys that revealed a considerable number of homes with elevated radon levels. The Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Research Act of 1986 mandated thorough investigations and public awareness campaigns about radon exposure, which is primarily linked to lung cancer due to the radioactive particles it emits.
The subsequent Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 established monitoring programs and training initiatives aimed at educating citizens, real estate professionals, and government officials on radon hazards and mitigation techniques. Despite being colorless and odorless, radon can accumulate in poorly ventilated areas, such as basements, largely due to uranium in surrounding soil and building materials. Efforts to raise awareness significantly improved radon testing and remediation practices in homes, with a goal to ensure indoor air quality matched that of outdoor air. The National Cancer Institute estimates thousands of lung cancer deaths each year are attributed to radon exposure, underscoring the importance of continued vigilance and action against this hidden threat.
Radon hazard in the 1980s
Radioactive gas and health hazard
Radon, an odorless, colorless gas produced when radium (a decay product of uranium) disintegrates, was found in high concentrations in basements and crawl spaces of homes during the 1980’s. Breathing radon daughters (solid particles from radon) increases the risk of lung cancer, especially in smokers.
The prevalence of radon in homes was discovered by accident in 1984 when a nuclear power plant engineer, Stanley Watras, set off a radiation detector at work in Limerick, Pennsylvania. An investigation of his home revealed a radon level 650 times greater than normal. Although it had been known that radon could enter homes, previously no one had realized the enormity of the threat. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) official Richard Guimond quickly recognized the risk to public health and began a campaign to warn citizens. States were encouraged to discover the extent of the danger in their areas. In 1986, Virginia surveyed eight hundred homes, about 12 percent of which had dangerously high levels of radon.
The Radon Gas and Indoor Air Quality Research Act of 1986 mandated the EPA to study radon and report the findings to Congress. The act proposed the establishment of a research program that merged the efforts of the EPA with those of other public and private groups. It advised the EPA to inform the public about the dangers of radon.
After much investigation of the health hazard, on September 12, 1988, the U.S. Public Health Service and the EPA held a joint press conference to publicize the problem, noting that millions of homes were found with elevated levels and that radon causes thousands of deaths each year. AssistantSurgeon General Vernon Houk, also head of the Centers for Disease Control, urged home owners to test for and fix any radon problems. After that warning, there was a huge surge in requests for radon testing.
The Indoor Radon Abatement Act of 1988 established radon monitoring at schools, federal building assessments, and several radon training centers; these efforts were managed by the EPA. The regional centers educated people about health risks, how to measure for radon, and how to fix the problem. The centers trained the public, business firms, Realtors, architects, inspectors, ventilation companies, and government officials about indoor radon hazards in the air and water in residences, workplaces, and schools. The long-term goal of the act was to make indoor air as free of radon as the air outside. The EPA also started a large Indoor Radon Program during the late 1980’s to offer grants to the states.
Finding and Fixing Contamination
Although radon was not officially discovered until 1900 by German chemist Friedrich Ernst Dorn, its effects were known as far back as the Middle Ages, when miners were known to live very short lives. The radioactive element is a particular hazard for uranium miners. Radon lurks in home areas that are not well ventilated. It can come from uranium in the surrounding soil, water, or even building materials such as brick or cinder block. Although the concrete in a basement slows radon from entering the house, the gas and particles can enter through cracks, drainage systems, and joints. If the ventilation is poor, the element cannot easily dissipate. Radon gas itself is not the main health culprit; rather, it is the radon daughters, made up of alpha particles attached to dust, that present the health risk. The lungs absorb the most intense radiation; as little as a millimeter can cause lung cancer, particularly in smokers. The National Cancer Institute estimates that between fifteen thousand and twenty-two thousand radon-related lung cancer deaths occur each year in the United States.
Whether or not a home is contaminated is determined by taking air samples and then electronically measuring alpha emissions. Because radon is odorless and colorless, residents will not be aware of it unless such sampling is done. Decontamination methods involve sealing entry points (using caulk, epoxy paint, and polyethylene sheeting) and increasing ventilation.
Impact
Many buildings are safer today from radon because of the public awareness campaign in the 1980’s. All homes should be fixed if the radon level is 4 picocuries per liter or higher. Radon levels of less than 4 picocuries per liter still pose a risk and may be reduced.
Bibliography
Cole, Leonard A. Element of Risk: The Politics of Radon. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. Debates the EPA’s policy and reveals the interplay among science, society, and the federal government.
Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, U.S. National Research Council. Health Effects of Exposure to Radon. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 1999. Covers the research on radon and lung cancer.
Edlestein, M., and W. Makofske. Radon’s Deadly Daughters: Science, Environmental Policy, and Politics of Risk. Lanham, Md.: Rowman & Littlefield, 1998. Examines how social and scientific factors led to misunderstandings about radon.
Icon Health Publications. Radon: A Medical Dictionary, Bibliography, and Annotated Research Guide to Internet References. San Diego, Calif.: Author, 2004. A guide to relevant research and terms.
National Research Council. Risk Assessment of Radon in Drinking Water. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, 1999. Details the inhalation and ingestion risks.
Ritchie, Ingrid, and Stephen John Martin. Healthy Home Kit. Chicago: Real Estate Education, 1995. How to clean up home hazards such as radon, lead, and asbestos.