Radon May Pose Greater Risk Than Previously Thought, Report Says

Radon may be more hazardous than previously believed, and scientists should conduct a major reassessment of the health threat the gas poses, the National Research Council recommended Tuesday.

Recent radon studies by American and foreign researchers indicate that the radioactive gas may constitute a greater risk than currently assumed, the council said in a new report. A reassessment would allow specialists to evaluate the studies and perhaps recommend an updated radon risk model.

Radon, an odorless gas produced by the natural decay of radium in the earth, can seep into homes and water systems. It causes 7,000 to 30,000 lung cancer deaths in the United States every year, the Environmental Protection Agency estimates.

The agency suggests that home dwellers take action to lower radon levels in dwellings if it is found to occur at rates exceeding four picocuries per liter of air. But about one in 15 American homes has more than that amount, and some have concentrations hundreds of times higher.

Recent studies confirm the link between lung cancer and radon and show that increased exposure to the gas increases the risk of disease, the council report said.