A radon test kit
Image Credit: Submitted/Wikimedia Commons
September 06, 2023 - 3:00 PM
The Regional District of Central Okanagan is partnering with Health Canada and Take Action on Radon to give out free radon testing kits.
There are 395 kits are available, but workplaces and healthcare facilities will be prioritized over individual homes.
Anyone can apply online here to receive their radon testing kit, however there are limited supplies, according to a regional district media release issued today, Sept. 6. Once approved for a free radon kit people can pick them up at their local government community office.
Radon is an invisible, odourless, radioactive gas which leaks from the ground up into buildings even through the floor. The geography in BC contains a large amount of naturally occurring radioactive minerals which release radon.
“The Central Okanagan is at high risk for radon, which is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers,” regional air quality program coordinator Nancy Mora Castro said in the release.
Testing for radon takes time. Once people get their radon testing kit they'll need to have it in their home or workplace for at least 91 days, from November to March, and then they return their kit and wait for results.
Once people get their results, if radon is detected, they will be given a course of action to reduce the levels of radon in their home or workplace.
The Canadian Cancer Society reports 3,300 Canadians are killed by radon-related lung cancer each year. Testing for radon and being aware of the danger it poses is the best way to reduce its health risks.
For those people who are concerned about radon but do not get a free kit from RDCO, kits and long-term radon detectors are available for purchase through the BC Lung Foundation.
Find more information here.
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