RADON AS A HEALTH-HAZARD AT HOME - WHAT ARE THE FACTS

The dangers of inhaling radon and other noxious gases in the dusty confines of mines have been recognized for a long time. Over the last few decades a number of more or less systematic studies have been carried out on correlations between radon concentration levels inside mines and the incidence of lung cancer among the miners. The paper examines the methods and the justification of extrapolating such risks from the high Rn-222 levels in mines to the very much lower domestic levels, and summarizes the findings of some recent Swedish studies on domestic radon levels and their correlation with the risk of lung cancer. The case for suggesting that significant positive correlations exist between radon levels in given regions of a country and the onset of leukaemias and other cancers is also critically examined. It is concluded that, on present evidence, the case for such correlation is not proven. The paper also suggests that some conventional units of measurement of radon concentration and exposure, and their generally adopted numerical values, are confusing or questionable, and are in need of revision and clarification.