Testing for radon, only way to know risk level
Radon. It’s deadly and not a lot of people know about it.
The colourless, odourless radioactive gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada, after smoking, according to health officials.
Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph public health environmental health specialist Bo Cheyne was at Mulmur’s town hall meeting Saturday encouraging people to test their homes for radon.
She said tests have indicated homes with elevated levels of radon gas are more prevalent in her region compared to other parts of Ontario. In a Canada-wide study, Health Canada found not only that homes across the country have dangerous levels of radon, but also that the percentage of homes with high radon levels is higher than average in the Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph area: locally, 15 per cent of homes tested above the Canadian guideline compared with 7 per cent of homes nationwide.
Radon is naturally occurring in the ground and seeps into buildings through cracks in the foundation. It is caused by the breakdown of uranium in the soil, rock and water. It can get trapped inside and the higher the concentration, the greater the risk of developing lung cancer.
November is radon action month. The goal is to encourage people to test their homes.
Tests should be done in the colder months so that results aren’t skewed by open doors and windows. Residents are encouraged to purchase an approved test kit. The test is to be done for a minimum of three months and up to one year.
If results show elevated radon levels, there is remedial action that can be taken to vent the gas to the outdoors.
If levels are higher than the guideline of 200 Bq/m³, a building should be remediated within two years and if levels are higher than 600 Bq/m³, the recommendation is to remediate within a year, according to Health Canada.
Test kits will be sold for $35 at a Nov. 9 radon information session in Orangeville, at the Alder Street Recreation Centre, located at 275 Alder St, Orangeville, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. For more information, please visit: www.wdgpublichealth.ca/radon
