Summer homebuying warning! No state requires testing for this cancer-causing gas

As the summer homebuying season reaches its peak, millions of Americans are moving into new homes often without knowing whether they may be exposed to radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause overall, making it the leading cause of environmental cancer in the United States. Yet despite decades of public health warnings, no state currently requires radon testing during a residential real estate sale.

That means many buyers move into homes without knowing if radon levels are elevated.

Radon has been detected at high levels in every state, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, but testing remains inconsistent and largely voluntary.

Research from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that nearly 25%, or more than 83 million Americans, may be exposed to radon levels associated with increased lung cancer risk.

Because radon is invisible, odorless, and naturally occurring, most people have no way of knowing if their home has elevated levels unless it is specifically tested.

The good news is that radon exposure is preventable. Testing is relatively simple, and if high levels are found, mitigation systems can significantly reduce indoor concentrations.

Radon can also dissolve into groundwater and enter homes through private well water, creating another pathway for exposure that many homeowners are unaware of.

As many Americans are purchasing homes this summer, this is an urgent consumer awareness issue: anyone with lungs can develop radon-induced lung cancer, but testing and mitigation can dramatically reduce the risk.

——————————————————————————————————————

Protect Environmental