Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don’t smoke, according to the Vermont Department of Health. Breathing in radon increases your risk of getting lung cancer over the course of your lifetime.

Is Radon Dangerous? What the Health Department and EPA Say

How big the risk is

Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The EPA estimates it is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the United States, about 2,900 of them among people who have never smoked.⁠³

The risk rises with the level

The EPA’s estimates of how many of 1,000 people exposed to a radon level over a lifetime could get lung cancer:⁠²

EPA estimates of lung cancer cases per 1,000 people exposed over a lifetime, by radon level
Radon level	People who smoked	People who never smoked
20 pCi/L	About 260	About 36
10 pCi/L	About 150	About 18
8 pCi/L	About 120	About 15
4 pCi/L	About 62	About 7
2 pCi/L	About 32	About 4
1.3 pCi/L	About 20	About 2

Source: EPA, A Citizen’s Guide to Radon. The EPA notes that a former smoker’s risk may be lower than the smoker figures and higher than the never-smoked figures.⁠²

Radon and smoking

If you smoke and your home has radon at or above 4 pCi/L, your risk of getting lung cancer is especially high, the Health Department says.⁠⁴ In its words, radon and smoking risks don’t add up; they multiply.⁠⁵ The EPA estimates 86% of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur among current or former smokers.⁠¹ For free help quitting, the Health Department points to 802Quits.⁠⁴

Radon in Vermont

One in seven Vermont homes has elevated levels of radon.⁠¹ The American Lung Association reports that 21.7% of Vermont radon test results were at or above the EPA’s action level, 24th among the states.⁠⁶ You can look up your town’s Health Department results.

What to do

Test your home. It’s the only way to know.⁠¹
Fix it at 4.0 pCi/L or higher. The Health Department and EPA recommend reducing radon at that level, and encourage action to get below 2.0 pCi/L.⁠¹
If you smoke, quit. The EPA says to stop smoking and lower your radon level to reduce your lung cancer risk.⁠²

Vermont Radon shares official guidance only; this page is not medical advice. For questions about your health, talk with a health care provider.

Test your home

Order the Health Department Lab’s long-term kit for $25⁠⁷ and leave it in place for 3 to 12 months, ideally including a heating season.⁠¹

Want to see levels day to day? A digital monitor measures and records radon continuously while it has power.⁠⁸ Use it alongside the lab test, not instead of it: CRCPD says to check a consumer monitor’s results with an approved test.⁠⁹

Order the $25 long-term kit See Airthings monitors Affiliate link

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Enter vtradon-10OFF for 10% off at checkout. Airthings ships only within the US.

The state lab kit is not an affiliate link. To order by phone, call 802-338-4736 or 800-660-9997.⁠¹

Common questions