Last Updated: July 2022

Author: Radon Program, Vermont Department of Health

Breathing air with radon increases a person’s risk of getting lung cancer. A person’s lung cancer risk due to radon depends on the level of radon in the air they breathe, how long they are exposed, and whether or not they are a smoker. Radon decays into radioactive particles that damage lung tissue and can lead to lung cancer over the course of a person’s lifetime. Unless you test for it, there is no way of knowing if radon is present in your home.

The Vermont Radon Program distributes approximately 3,000 free long-term radon test kits every year. About one out of every seven of the test kits that are returned are found to equal or exceed the EPA's action level of 4.0 pCi/L. At or above this level homeowners are encouraged to install a radon mitigation system in order to decrease their risk of lung cancer.

The Vermont Radon Program conducts an annual follow-up questionnaire of Vermont homes with test results at or above the EPA's action level to find out how many installed radon mitigation systems (active soil depressurization, ventilation, etc.) after receiving the elevated result.

This indicator is part of Healthy Vermonters 2020 (which documents the health status of Vermonters at the start of the decade and the population health indicators and goals that will guide the work of public health through 2020.

The Radon Program partners with Environmental Public Health Tracking, Comprehensive Cancer Control, Cancer Registry, and Tobacco Control to develop accurate and effective outreach materials. The Radon Program also works with the Vermont Geological Survey to develop radon risk maps that show where the risk of radon exposure may be greater due to the physical characteristics of the soil and bedrock.

The follow-up questionnaire servers as one means to remind people of the health effects of radon and the importance of mitigating radon problems in their home. If they have not mitigated, follow-up questions attempt to identify the reason(s) they have not yet mitigated. When appropriate, referrals are made to the list of certified radon mitigators:

• Radon Measurement Professional (RMP)
• National Radon Safety Board

A common barrier to mitigation is cost. During the follow-up questionnaire referrals are also made to organizations like NeighborWorks, the USDA Rural Development's 504 Program and the Burlington Lead Program which provide funding opportunities (grants and low-interest loans) for income-eligible Vermonters to install radon mitigation systems.

In the upcoming year, the Radon Program will continue encouraging Vermonters to test and mitigate their homes by offering free test kits, following up with the annual mitigation questionnaire, and sharing Kathy's Story, one Vermonter’s story about the impact of high levels of radon in her childhood home.

Data is updated as it becomes available and timing may vary by data source. 

Similar to statewide efforts, local partners are using data to drive local strategy. For regional data on access to health indicators, check out our Public Health Data Explorer.