The Ohio Department of Health estimates that approximately 900 of the 7,500 lung cancer deaths reported in Ohio each year are caused by radon. A report released by The National Academy of Sciences on Feb. 19 reinforced long-standing ODH and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data shows radon as the second leading cause of lung cancer in the state.
Cigarette smoking continues as the primary cause.
The report represents the academy's most thorough analysis to date of the human health effects of indoor radon. It concludes that radon causes over 15,000 lung cancer deaths across the country each year. High concentrations of radon have been measured in all parts of Ohio. Radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that comes from uranium that has been in the ground since the time the earth was formed. The rate of radon seepage into homes varies because the amount of uranium in the soil varies from place to place.