presentation2 webtop10

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk: Why we need to take action in Minnesota!

Don MaileyRE/MAX Results

c (952) 212-0968

e-mailDon@DonMailey.com

What Is Radon?What Is Radon?• Radon is a gas

• It is naturally occurring

• You can not see or smell it

• It enters buildings from the soil beneath them

Uranium

Radium

Radon

MN Radon Potential MN Radon Potential

Zone 1

Highest Potential (greater than 4 pCi/L)

Zone 2

Moderate Potential (from 2 to 4 pCi/L)

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #1

There is widespread potential for radon exposure in homes and schools in MN, as well as workplaces!

Average Contributions From Radon Sources In U.S. Homes

The movement of soil gas into a home is the predominant entry route.

These are averages - a particular home can be different!

Water< 1%

Soil Gas85 - 90%

Diffusion1 - 4%

Emanation2 - 5%

Radium Containing SoilSoil Containing Radium

Radon Gas Spatial Distribution

• Radon enters from beneath foundation and travels upward. – Diluted with outdoor air

infiltrating building• If radon is less than 4 pCi/L

in lower level, one can say with reasonable confidence that upper floors are also less than 4 pCi/L.

10

< 5

5-6

Occupational Exposure to Radon – Very Common

• Mine workers, including uranium, hard rock, and vanadium

• Workers remediating radioactive contaminated sites, including uranium mill sites and mill tailings

• Workers at underground nuclear waste repositories • Radon mitigation contractors and testers • Employees of natural caves • Phosphate fertilizer plant workers • Oil refinery workers • Utility tunnel workers

• Subway tunnel workers • Construction excavators • Power plant workers, including geothermal power

and coal • Employees of radon health mines • Employees of radon balneotherapy spas

(waterborne 222Rn source) • Water plant operators (waterborne 222Rn source) • Fish hatchery attendants (waterborne 222Rn

source) • Employees who come in contact with

technologically enhanced sources of naturally occurring radioactive materials

• Incidental exposure in almost any occupation from local geologic 222Rn sources

• Plowing?

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #2

Outdoor radon exposure can be significant!

Outdoor 222Rn Concentrations

JUNE

13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

222

Rn (p

Ci/L

)

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

Outdoor Radon Levels

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #3

Alpha particles are very

effective at causing DNA

damage!

Why Is Radon A Concern?Why Is Radon A Concern?

• Radon decays into radioactive particles known as radon decay products.

• These particles are easily inhaled and deposited in the lungs where they can damage sensitive lung tissue.

Radon Decay Products

Radon

Radon

What Happens When Radon-222 Enters a House?

• Radon enters home.• Radon radioactively

decays into RDPs in the air.

• Some RDPs remain in the air.

• Some RDPs plate out on surfaces.Radon

Radon

RDPsRDPs

What Happens When Radon Decay Products Are Inhaled?

Highly radioactive particles adhere to lung tissue, where they can irradiate sensitive cells.

Radiation can alter the cells, increasing the potential for cancer.Double Strand Breaks

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #4

For the average individual in the United States – Radon decay products (radon) deliver over 50% of our average radiation dose! For the average Minnesotan, it represents well over 65%!!

Annual Effective Dose Equivalent to Member of the U.S. Population

NCRP 93 (1987)

Other< 1%

Radon55%

Consumer Products

3%Nuclear Medicine

4%

Cosmic(Outer Space)

8%

Terrrestrial(Rocks & Soil)

8%

Internal(Inside Human

Body)11%

Medical X-rays11%

Other Includes: Occupational 0.3% Fallout < 0.3% Nuclear Pow er 0.1% Miscellaneous 0.1%

Natural 82%

Artificial 18% Natural (mrem)Radon 200Cosmic 27

Terrestrial: -external 28-internal 39

Artificial (mrem)-Diag. X-rays 39-Nuc. Med. 14-Consumer Pro. 10-Other ~1

TOTAL ~360

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #5

Waterborne radon also contributes to our overall radon exposure!

Waterborne Radon

Primarily from groundwater sources (wells) rather than rivers

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #6

National and International Public Health Agencies support the contention that

radon is a leading environmental

health risk!

“Radon Is A Serious National Health Problem”

“Radon Is A Serious National Health Problem”

• American Lung Association• American Medical Association• Environmental Protection Agency• National Academy of Sciences• National Council on Radiation

Protection and Measurement• U.S. Surgeon General• World Health Organization, and

others…..

EPA & Surgeon General Recommend

Take action if a home is at or above 4.0 pCi/L

(year long average)

4.0 pCi/L EPA ACTION LEVEL

Average indoor: 1.3 – 1.4 pCi/L

Average outdoor: 0.4 pCi/L

How Does Radon Rank As A Cancer Causing Agent?

• Radon is ranked as a Group A

carcinogen

–Highest ranking for cancer potential

–Known to cause cancer in humans

–Tobacco smoke and tobacco products

in same categoryInternational Agency for Research on Cancer

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #7

Laboratory studies using different species of radon-exposed animals clearly show a linear dose- response relationship between radon and lung cancer.

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #8

Studies of occupationally-exposed miners clearly show a linear relationship between radon exposure and lung cancer!

Original Scientific Basis For Radon Risk Estimates

Original Scientific Basis For Radon Risk Estimates

• Studies on miners.

–Uranium miners in U.S. and other countries

EPIDEMIOLOGIC MINER STUDIESChina (Tin Miners)

Czechoslovakia (Uranium)Colorado (Uranium)Ontario (Uranium)

Newfoundland (Florspar)Sweden (Iron)

New Mexico (Uranium)Beaverlodge (Uranium)Port Radium (Uranium)Radium Hill (Uranium)

France (Uranium)

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #9

Case-control studies of individuals exposed to radon in their homes show an increased lung cancer risk even at or below the EPA’s action level of 4 pCi/L (150 Bq/m3).

Residential Radon Exposure – A Leading Environmental Health Risk:

What is the Evidence?

WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE #10

Radon exposure represents a major source of cancer mortality in the

United States!

LUNG CANCER DEATHS Per Year

Estimated 172,000 Lung Cancer Deaths in 2008*

Attributed to RadonApproximately 21,000 EPA 2008

*CA: A Journal for Clinicians - 2008

Should we be concerned about radon-induced lung cancer given that the risk pales in comparison to the

risk posed by smoking?

Comparing Radon Related Cancer to Other Cancer Types

02000400060008000

100001200014000160001800020000

An

nu

al U

.S. C

an

cer

De

ath

s

Lung Cancer (radon)

Liver Cancer

Brain Cancer

Stomach Cancer

Melanoma

Oral Cancer

Gallbladder Cancer

Bone Cancer

Comparing Radon Related Cancer to Other Cancer Types

Cancer Mortality per Year - United States5000 10000 15000 20000

EyeTestisUreter

Chronic Myeloid LeukemiaSmall IntestineBone and Joint

Hodgkin DiseaseAcute Lymphocytic Leukemia

ThyroidGall Bladder

Soft tissueUterine Cervix

LarynxChronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Uterine CorpusOral Cavity and Pharynx

MelanomaAcute Myeloid Leukemia

Multiple MyelomaStomach

KidneyBrain

BladderEsophagus

LiverOvary

Non-Hodgkin LymphomaRadon Induced Lung Cancer

Is Radon a Leading Environmental Health Risk ?

Radon Decay Products

Radon

Radon

Why are the hazards of radon ignored or not accepted ??• Invisible, odorless, colorless• Naturally occurring (no villains)• Can not link deaths to radon exposure• Long latency period• Not a dread hazard• Cancers occur one at a time• Voluntary risk• Lack of press – no sensational story• No sensory reminders to repetitively stimulate • us to think about it• Lung cancer does not occur in children

Further Information on Radon

EPA 1-800-SOS-RADONhttp://www.epa.gov/radon/

Bill Field 319-335-4413bill-field@uiowa.edu

Special Thanks To:R. William Field, Ph.D., M.S.

Associate ProfessorDepartment of Occupational and Environmental Health

Department of EpidemiologyCollege of Public Health

104 IREHUniversity of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 52242Bill-field@uiowa.edu