Radon in the Home

Over 40,000 people in the United States and Europe die each year from lung cancer caused by exposure to radon gas.

Most of these people are exposed to radon in the home. And yet, the majority of them are unaware of the health risks posed by radon, unaware that their home has dangerously elevated levels of radon, and, probably, unaware of what radon even is.

Part of the fault lies with governments and health organizations, which have failed to respond appropriately to so many deaths. Information about radon gas is not as widespread as it should be (although the situation is improving). But, part of the problem lies also with the homeowner: it's your home and your health. Educate yourself!

Because you can't see, smell, or taste radon, in order to find out whether or not it's in your home—and how much of it there is—you have to test for it. Tests are cheap and easy to administer. They're available online, even from sites like Amazon.

Finding out whether there is an elevated radon concentration in your home is your responsibility. Why? Because shirking this responsibility will hurt only you.

Car accidents close roads, slow down the flow of business; airborne diseases can affect anyone; and guns pose a physical threat to the government. Hence, there are initiatives to cut down on these problems.

With radon, it hurts only you. And, as callous as it sounds, it's more profitable for health care providers to treat you when get lung cancer than to prevent it in the first place.

So, take charge: call the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or an equivalent in your country, get the proper information, test your home, and take appropriate action. Simply because no one's actively helping you, doesn't mean they're actively trying to stop you. The truth is, they just don't care.

So: you care.