Setting Radon in Context

Abstract

In this paper the health problems arising from radon exposure are set in the context of other environmental health concerns. The most important environmental public health problem in the UK is cigarette smoking, which is the main cause of the 40,000 deaths per year from lung cancer. When all smoking-related deaths are considered it can be estimated that cigarette smoking causes up to 110,000 deaths a year. In comparison it is estimated that 2000 deaths per year can be attributed to radon. Radon-induced lung cancers in some types of miners have been studied for many years producing estimates of risk. Although conditions of exposure are different, exposure levels in some homes overlap with levels in some mines. Radon is important, therefore, because it is one of the few environmental health problems which can be reasonably quantified. It contributes a large proportion of our total exposure to radiation. We are striving for higher standards of radiological protection and this can be achieved for radon using available remedial measures.