--- title: "Is Radon Dangerous? What the Health Department and EPA Say" url: https://vermontradon.com/is-radon-dangerous/ description: "Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don't smoke. The EPA's risk by radon level, why smoking multiplies it, and what to do, with sources." last_reviewed: 2026-10-17 source: "Vermont Department of Health; U.S. EPA; American Lung Association; CRCPD. Each fact is footnoted to its source below." publisher: "Vermont Radon, an independent guide, not affiliated with the Vermont Department of Health or EPA. Not medical advice." --- # Is radon dangerous? Yes. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don’t smoke, and breathing it in increases your risk of getting lung cancer over the course of your lifetime, according to the Vermont Department of Health.[^1] You can’t see, smell or taste it.[^2] ## 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](https://vermontradon.com/towns/). ## 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 $25[^7] 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](https://vdh.webapps.aidcvt.com/water_supplies/radon) [See Airthings monitors](https://discount.airthings.com?aw_affiliate=eyJjYW1wYWlnbl9pZCI6IjEiLCJ0cmFmZmljX3NvdXJjZSI6InZlcm1vbnRyYWRvbi5jb20iLCJhY2NvdW50X2lkIjoyNDI1N30) (Affiliate link) If you buy through the Airthings link, Vermont Radon may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. [How we make money](https://vermontradon.com/how-we-make-money/) 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 ### Is radon dangerous? Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among people who don’t smoke, according to the Vermont Department of Health.[^1] Breathing in radon increases your risk of getting lung cancer over the course of your lifetime.[^1] ### How many people die from radon each year? The EPA estimates radon 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] ### Is radon worse if you smoke? Yes. The Health Department says that if you smoke and your home is at or above 4 pCi/L, your risk of getting lung cancer is especially high.[^4] The EPA estimates 86% of radon-related lung cancer deaths occur among current or former smokers.[^1] ## Next steps - [How to test your home](https://vermontradon.com/how-to-test/) - [Understanding your results](https://vermontradon.com/understanding-results/) - [How mitigation works](https://vermontradon.com/fixing-radon/) - [Your town’s test results](https://vermontradon.com/towns/) ## Sources [^1]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Radon in Your Home](https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/healthy-homes/radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^2]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [A Citizen’s Guide to Radon (EPA 402/K-12/002, 2025)](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2016-12/documents/2016_a_citizens_guide_to_radon.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^3]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [Health Risk of Radon](https://www.epa.gov/radon/health-risk-radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^4]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Radon and Smoking: A Risky Combination](https://www.healthvermont.gov/sites/default/files/document/env-hh-radon-smoking-risky-combination.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^5]: **Vermont Department of Health**. [Tracking Radon in Vermont](https://www.healthvermont.gov/environment/tracking/radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^6]: **American Lung Association**. [State of Lung Cancer: Vermont (page updated October 29, 2025)](https://www.lung.org/research/state-of-lung-cancer/states/vermont). Checked 2026-10-17. [^7]: **Vermont Department of Health Laboratory**. [Radon Test Kits (Health Department Lab webstore)](https://vdh.webapps.aidcvt.com/water_supplies/radon). Checked 2026-10-17. [^8]: **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency**. [Home Buyer’s and Seller’s Guide to Radon (EPA 402/K-24/001, March 2024)](https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-05/documents/hmbuygud.pdf). Checked 2026-10-17. [^9]: **Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD)**. [Consumer Digital Radon Monitors (CRCPD guidance, reprinted in The Radon Reporter, Q4 2025, p. 39)](https://aarst.org/TheRadonReporter/Radon-Reporter-December-2025/39). Checked 2026-10-17.