Radon is a tasteless, colorless and oderless gas that is produced by decaying uranium and occurs naturally in soil, water, and rock.  Radon and its decay products are known as human carcinogens; this means that its particles damage living tissues, such as lung tissue. 

Health Effects:

• Lung cancer is the scientific strongest documented health effect of radon and its decay products.
  • During 2007, and estimated 213,380 new cases of lung cancer were diagnosed, representing 15 percent of all cancer diagnoses.

• Exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. In 2007 an estimated 22,000 lung cancer deaths were due to excessive levels of radon, as little as 4 pCi/L.