Radon, The Radioactive Gas That May be Lurking in Your Home

Radon, a radioactive gas that forms when radioactive metals break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. Exposure to radon by breathing radon that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings, is the 2nd leading cause of Lung Cancer, after smoking.

Radon is a radioactive gas that forms naturally when uranium, thorium, or radium, which are radioactive metals break down in rocks, soil and groundwater. People can be exposed to radon primarily from breathing radon in air that comes through cracks and gaps in buildings and homes. Because radon comes naturally from the earth, people are always exposed to it.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Surgeon General’s office estimate radon is responsible for more than 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the U.S. When you breathe in radon, radioactive particles from radon gas can get trapped in your lungs. Over time, these radioactive particles increase the risk of lung cancer. It may take years before health problems appear.