Continue working on the naturally occurring risk you analyzed in Week 3 (Radon Gas). This week, you will establish the significance of the risk, the stakeholders, and the scientific, technological, and societal issues pertaining to the risk. In addition, you will turn to the critical focus of environmental health management—mitigation of the negative effects on population health.
Instructions
Write a 4–5 page paper, based on the natural environmental health risk selected in Week 3.
Explain why this naturally occurring risk is important enough for you to research it. This may include information from your risk analyses in Week 3 or other reasons, such as the number of stakeholders, recent incidents, or personal experience.
Analyze three important scientific, technological, or societal issues pertaining to your chosen natural environmental risk.
Justify the importance of these issues based on your research and provide references to sources that support your analysis. To help guide your research and selection of these issues, note the following:
Scientific issues may include the fields of science involved in the study or mitigation of this risk or other issues.
Technological issues may include, for example, the types of technology that are available to determine and mitigate the risk.
Societal issues may include, for example, socioeconomic impacts and disparities, geographic occurrence, and others.
Recommend a specific mitigation strategy for the natural environmental risk based on your comparison of at least two specific mitigation programs, policies, or strategies you discover through research.
Use at least four sources to support your writing. Choose sources that are credible, relevant, and appropriate. Cite each source listed on your source page at least one time within your assignment. For help with research, writing, and citation, access the library or review library guides.
Sample Answer
The Invisible Threat: Analyzing the Risk of Radon Gas
Radon gas, a naturally occurring, colorless, odorless, and tasteless radioactive gas, represents a significant, yet often overlooked, environmental health risk. This paper will establish the critical importance of researching radon, analyze the key scientific, technological, and societal issues pertaining to this risk, identify relevant stakeholders, and recommend a specific mitigation strategy for the effective management of its negative effects on population health.
🛑 Significance of the Risk and Key Stakeholders
Radon gas is the decay product of uranium and thorium found naturally in rocks and soil. It seeps up from the ground and can accumulate to dangerous levels inside homes and other buildings. This naturally occurring risk is important enough to research for several critical reasons, primarily its profound impact on public health.
The most compelling reason is that radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, after smoking, and the number one cause among non-smokers. It is estimated to cause about 21,000 lung cancer deaths annually in the U.S. alone (CDC). When inhaled, the radioactive decay products of radon (called "progeny") get trapped in the lungs, where they release small bursts of energy that damage lung tissue and can lead to cancer over time.
The risk is ubiquitous, as nearly 1 in 15 homes in the U.S. has high radon levels (EPA). Because radon is invisible and undetectable without testing, people can be exposed unknowingly for years.
Key Stakeholders
The management of radon risk requires a multi-faceted approach involving numerous stakeholders:
🏡 Homeowners/Occupants: They bear the primary risk and the decision-making responsibility for testing and mitigation in their homes.
⚕️ Public Health Officials and Healthcare Professionals: Agencies like the EPA and CDC, state/local health departments, and doctors are responsible for public education, establishing guidelines, and informing patients of the risks.
🏗️ Construction and Real Estate Industries: Builders, architects, realtors, and mitigation contractors play a crucial role in implementing radon-resistant new construction techniques and ensuring disclosure and remediation during property transactions.
🔬 Scientists and Researchers: They study the geological distribution of radon, its health effects, and develop more effective testing and mitigation technologies.
📜 Policymakers and Government Regulators: They establish building codes, fund public awareness campaigns, and enact laws regarding testing and disclosure in real estate and public buildings.
🔬 Scientific, Technological, and Societal Issues
Effective environmental health management for radon is complicated by significant scientific, technological, and societal issues.
1. Scientific Issue: The Synergistic Risk with Smoking
The scientific understanding of the relationship between radon and smoking presents a major public health challenge. Research has definitively established a synergistic effect: the risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure is magnified significantly for smokers. Smokers exposed to elevated radon levels face a risk that is approximately 10 to 20 times greater than non-smokers exposed to the same levels (NCDHHS).