Re: Request of Information

[xat@inel.gov (Alden Tschaeche)]

LAU S HELMUTH wrote:

> 2. What are the real harmful effects of radon and its progeny to human
> health and what are the studies that show that up.

Only uranium miner data show any real harmful effect of radon and its
progeny to human health.  There are many studies reported in the
literature on uranium miners in several countries.  I don't have the
references at my fingertips, but I expect other radsafers do.  There are
no studies that show harmful effects at radon levels in houses.  All
radon risk numbers are extrapolated from the miner data assuming a
linear relationship between radon level and risk of lung cancer.  There
are studies that show an inverse relationship between radon levels in
houses and lung cancer incidence.  Therefore, no one really knows, on
the basis of human data, whether there are any harmful effects of radon
at levels found in houses or not.  However, if there are any harmful
effects, they are so small as to not be observable.  My personal belief
is that a little radon is good for you.  Look at all the people who go
to the "baths" in Europe and to the mines in the USA to acquire the
benefits of exposure to radon and its daughters.  Those people all
attest to beneficial effects, not harmful ones.  Al Tschaeche
xat@inel.gov (until 2/28/97)