Exposure to radon may raise risk of childhood leukemia, OSU study finds

Radon is a naturally occurring, invisible and odorless gas released from the decay of radioactive metals like uranium found in soil, rocks and groundwater. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, it’s also the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S., and claims more than 20,000 lives annually. Homes are a major source of radon exposure which testing kits can be used to monitor and determine whether to do mitigation by increasing ventilation or sealing foundation cracks.  

But it turns out that even relatively low levels of radon exposure can be dangerous, according to a new study funded by the EPA and led by researchers at Oregon State University. They found an increased risk for developing another kind of cancer - childhood leukemia - in children in more than 700 counties in 14 states, even at average levels well below the EPA’s own established guidelines for when to do radon mitigation. Joining us to share more is the study’s lead author, Matthew Bozigar, an environmental epidemiologist and assistant professor in the college of health at OSU.