WHO Recommends Greater Radon Control

Radon is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas which often goes undetected. Radon claims an estimated 21,000 lives each year in the United States alone, and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to the EPA.  Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) drastically reduced its recommendation regarding the amount of radon from natural sources that countries should allow to accumulate in buildings.  

Radon occurs naturally and can seep into homes and buildings through cracks, though it is impossible to detect without testing for it by hiring a testing professional or using a home radon test kit.  The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that people test their homes for radon every two years.

After conducting studies in Europe, North America, and China, WHO concluded that radon is a significant cause of 3 percent to 14 percent of worldwide lung cancer cases.  WHO’s new recommendations are for radon limits in homes to be set at 100 becquerel per cubic meter (the equivalent in the U.S. of 2.7 picocuries per liter), a significant change from the previous limit which was ten times greater.

The WHO’s recommendation is now more closely aligned with recommendations issued by the U.S. EPA, which recommends that you “fix your home if your radon level is confirmed to be 4 picocuries per liter (pCi/L) or higher.”  The EPA also says that “radon levels less than 4 pCi/L still pose a risk, and in many cases may be reduced.”  If your home does test high for radon, luckily there are ways to fix it.  A radon remediation system with a radon fan is an effective solution that has been used by millions of homeowners to reduce radon in their homes.