Abstract
The Environmental Protection Agency has estimated that 20,000 lung cancer deaths per year may be related to radon exposure. This paper briefly describes the approach used to derive the Agency's central estimate of risk to the population. The weight-of-evidence for classifying radon as a known human carcinogen and the uncertainties associated with estimating risks from radon exposure provide an important context for these estimates and are briefly discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
IARC, Monograph Vol. 43: Man-made mineral fibers and radon. International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, 1988.
NRC, BEIR IV Report, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D. C., 1988.
ICRP, Publ. 50, International Commission on Radiological Protection, Oxford, 1987.
NCRP, Report No. 78, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD, 1984.
J. SAMET, J. Natl. Cancer Inst., 81 (1989) 745.
J. SEVC, E. KUNZ, L. TOMASEK, Health Phys., 54 (1988) 27.
USEPA, EPA 520/1-89-005, Vol. 1, U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D. C., 1989.
J. PUSKIN, J. YANG, Health Phys., 54 (1988) 635.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This paper has been reviewed in accordance with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency's peer and administrative review policies and approved for presentation and publication.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Schmidt, A. EPA's approach to radon risk assessment. Journal of Radioanalytical and Nuclear Chemistry, Articles 161, 283–291 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02034902
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02034902