Indoor Air Radon Testing | Radon Remediation & IAQ Testing

Radon

WHAT IS RADON?

Radon is a radioactive gas that occurs naturally when the uranium in soil and rock breaks down. It is invisible, odourless and tasteless. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can sometimes accumulate to high levels, which can be a risk to the health of you and your family.

WHAT ARE THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF RADON?

Radon gas breaks down or decays to form radioactive elements that can be inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, decay continues, creating radioactive particles that release small bursts of energy. This energy is absorbed by nearby lung tissue, damaging the lung cells. When cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce. Exposure to high levels of radon in indoor air results in an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and how long a person is exposed to those levels. Exposure to radon and tobacco use together can significantly increase your risk of lung cancer. For example, if you are a lifelong smoker but are not exposed to radon, your risk of getting lung cancer is one in eight. If you add exposure to a high level of radon, your risk becomes one in three. On the other hand, if you are a non-smoker, your lifetime lung cancer risk at the same high radon level is one in twenty.

DOWNLOAD THE HEALTH CANADA BROCHURE on Radon for more information.

Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes

Health Canada recently completed the analysis of the data from the first year of the Cross-Canada Survey of Radon Concentrations in Homes. This is a two year project to gather long-term (3-month or longer) indoor radon measurement results from across Canada. The goal of this study is to get a better understanding of radon levels so that we can better inform and help protect Canadians from the risks of long term radon exposure.

Over the two years of this study approximately 18,000 participants will be recruited via telephone. In the first year, approximately 9000 homes were randomly selected across all provinces and territories and a long-term radon test was conducted during the 2009/2010 fall and winter heating season. By sampling across the country as opposed to a few large cities, Health Canada will obtain a better estimate of the geographic distribution of radon levels across Canada. All participants from year 1 of the study have been informed of the specific radon results for their household and information on radon remediation was provided to those households with elevated levels.

While the radon levels in the vast majority of Canadian homes are below the current Canadian guideline of 200 Bq/m³, first-year results indicate that approximately 7% of Canadian homes have elevated radon levels. The results from the first year of this study reinforce how important it is for Canadians to test the radon level in their homes. The following table shows the percentage of participants in each province/territory with results below 200 Bq/m³, between 200 and 600 Bq/m³ and above 600 Bq/m³.

Year Radon Results by Province and Territory
Province/Territory	Below 200 Bq/m³	200 to 600 Bq/m³	Above 600 Bq/m³
Alta.	93.1%	6.5%	0.4%
B.C.	95.4%	3.9%	0.7%
Man.	76.5%	22.1%	1.4%
N.B.	83.0%	11.7%	5.3%
N.L.	94.7%	4.4%	0.9%
N.S.	91.8%	6.3%	1.9%
N.W.T.	96.0%	4.0%	0.0%
NU	100.0%	0.0%	0.0%
Ont.	95.1%	4.3%	0.6%
P.E.I.	95.5%	4.5%	0.0%
Que.	91.0%	8.3%	0.7%
Sask.	84.2%	14.2%	1.6%
Y.T.	84.1%	10.6%	5.3%