Exposure to radon gas is responsible for around 2000 lung cancer deaths in the UK every year, however many of these would have been preventable had there been a wider knowledge about the dangers of radon.
Dr Aaron Goodarzi, Canada Research Chair in Genome Damage and Instability Disease, says, “The first time most people realise they have had a serious dose of radon is when they walk into a clinic never having smoked and are diagnosed with lung cancer – that’s too late. Non-smoker lung cancer, I would argue, is perhaps the most preventable, Nobody is addicted to radon.”
Whilst some people choose to continue to smoke despite the knowledge that it is a major cause of lung cancer, most people still aren’t aware that the air they are breathing in their homes could also cause the disease. Without this knowledge, these people aren’t able to make a choice as to whether to take further action or not, leaving them at risk of developing lung cancer without them even being aware. Given the choice, we expect most people would choose to reduce this risk posed to their families.
propertECO are committed to raising awareness of the dangers of radon, for example by taking an active part in the UK Radon Awareness Week campaign and providing educational seminars on the subject.
