'Dangerously high' levels of Radon gas present in one in three Sask. homes: study
One in three homes in Saskatchewan appear to have dangerously high radon gas levels, according to a recent report from the Evict Radon National study team.
Radon is a tasteless, odorless and colorless radioactive gas that rises from the ground, it is formed when uranium breaks down in soil and rock.
Long term radon exposure is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the country behind smoking, according to Health Canada.
It can enter homes through cracks in basement floors or other openings in the foundation.
At one in every three homes, Saskatchewan has some of the highest levels of radon in all of Canada, according to the study.
The national average is one in every five homes.
Health Canada says if homes have radon levels above 200 bequerels per cubic meter that is considered dangerously high.
Lung Saskatchewan says radon exposure is connected to the deaths of 3,000 Canadians ever year.
Researchers at the University of Calgary found in a countrywide study that an estimated 10.3 million Canadians live in homes with radon levels above Health Canada’s guidelines. Readings from 775,000 urban and rural buildings were complied.
With November known as Radon Acton Month, the charity is urging people to purchase a test kit and see if their home is in the danger zone.
“Given the high levels of uranium in our soil, it is critical to test your home to ensure all members of your family are protected from the risk of lung cancer caused by radon gas exposure. Everyone in Saskatchewan should test their home for radon,” Erin Kuan, president and CEO of Lung Saskatchewan, said in a news release.
Radon test kits can be bought at many stores and ordered from HomeRadonTest.ca.
For homes that have dangerously high levels, mitigation systems can be installed.
The federal government says radon levels in most homes can be reduced by more than 80 per cent for about the same cost as other common home repairs, such as replacing a furnace or air conditioning unit.
Radon levels are also known to be high in Manitoba, British Columbia and New Brunswick, according to Statistics Canada.
-- With files from Laura Woodward.
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