EPA's perspective on risks from residential radon exposure

Conference · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:7197636

Puskin, J S; Nelson, C B ^[1]

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1. US Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (US)

As a possible aid in setting future priorities, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently conducted a comparative review of the entire range of environmental problems the Agency deals with. The problems were ranked as to severity with respect to several different aspects: cancer risk, noncancer health effects, ecological effects, and welfare (economic effects). With respect to cancer risk, two problems topped the list: indoor radon and occupational exposures to all carcinogens combined. Thus, indoor radon was judged to be the most serious category of environmental carcinogen to which the general public is exposed and which the agency must address. This paper outlines the current EPA perspective on these issues and highlights some of the uncertainties that may bear on the future direction and public health impact of EPA's radon program.

• OSTI ID: 7197636
• Report Number(s): CONF-880679--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320107 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560151 -- Radiation Effects on Animals-- Man
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AIR POLLUTION
BODY
BUILDINGS
CARCINOGENS
CARCINOMAS
DISEASES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FLUIDS
GASES
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
LUNGS
MASS TRANSFER
MINERS
MINES
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NEOPLASMS
NONMETALS
OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE
ORGANS
PERSONNEL
POLLUTION
RADIONUCLIDE MIGRATION
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RISK ASSESSMENT
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
URANIUM MINES
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS