Torbay Residents Test Radon Gas Levels at Home
Torbay NL Community Report 2024
A new report available in the link above found that 11% of the homes tested in Torbay had radon levels above the Canadian guideline level, further emphasizing the need for all residents to test their homes for radon. Residents participated in the national “100 Radon Test Kit Challenge” which to date has provided over 19,000 radon tests to communities across Canada.
100 Radon Test Kit Challenge Community Presentation
“We were pleased to see so many residents recognize the importance of testing their home for radon,” says Pam Warkentin, Project Manager at Take Action on Radon. “Our community approach to the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge means that no one needs to feel they’re the only one testing their home for radon. Everyone knows that they are one of many families in their community who are taking their radon exposure seriously.”
Radon is an odourless and colourless, radioactive soil gas that can build up to dangerous levels in indoor air, making it the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Radon exposure also compounds the risk of lung cancer for people with other risk factors. The uranium rich geology of the soil across Canada provides a high potential for elevated radon levels in homes. This project used C-NRPP listed long-term radon test kits as recommend by Health Canada.
Radon has been gaining more attention this year, with Kelowna oncologist Dr. Khoo sharing his story of lung cancer diagnosis and radon testing and mitigation journey.
“On average 57 Canadians will die from lung cancer every day, making it the leading cause of cancer death in Canada. Exposure to radon gas can increase a person’s risk of lung cancer,” explains Tricia Lewchuk, Cancer Prevention Specialist, Canadian Cancer Society. “It is important that people in Canada test their homes for radon and take action to reduce radon levels to as low as reasonably achievable.”
Solutions are readily available for residents who discover their indoor radon levels are dangerously high. Radon mitigation systems can be installed in any home and reduce radon levels by an average of over 90%. The work involved can generally be completed within a day by a certified professional. Canada’s national radon certification program (C-NRPP) provides a searchable list of radon professionals on their website at www.c-nrpp.ca/find-a-professional. The Canadian Lung Association has also recently made available a grant to support families with low income to help with the cost of the mitigation.
The 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge program is a nation-wide research and awareness project supported by the Take Action on Radon program. The Challenge provides free test kits to communities who want to know more about their radon levels. Participants each receive a confidential individual radon test in addition to the publicly available Community Report summarizing the results of the community testing. Residents who didn’t get a chance to participate but would like to order a test kit can learn more at www.takeactiononradon.ca/test .
To schedule an interview with a representative, please contact: Pam Warkentin, 204-798-9649 p_warkentin@carst.ca
About Take Action on Radon
Take Action on Radon is a national initiative funded by Health Canada that works to bring together radon stakeholders and raise radon awareness across Canada. The initiative is led by the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) and the Canadian Cancer Society.
References:
A copy of this and all the community reports for the last five years of the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge can be found on Take Action in Radon’s website: https://takeactiononradon.ca/resources/100-radon-test-kit-challenge/
To learn more about radon and how to test your home, visit: TakeActionOnRadon.ca
To learn more about what municipalities can do about radon, check out Health Canada’s Radon action guide for municipalities: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/action-guides/municipalities.html
To read about Dr. Khoo’s story you can go here: https://www.kelownanow.com/watercooler/news/news/Provincial/Kelowna_oncologist_diagnosed_with_lung_cancer_encourages_radon_testing_in_homes
Canadian Lung Association has a radon mitigation grant available for low to moderate income homes: https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/radon/lungs-matter-radon-mitigation-support
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