The deadly gas radon is becoming more common in Canadian homes

Article content

The number of Canadian homes with dangerous levels of cancer-causing radon has more than doubled in the last 12 years, and some Calgary-area residents are among those most at risk.

That’s the conclusion of a study by scientists, including a University of Calgary researcher, who say 18 per cent of households in the country require some type of mitigation measures, compared with 7 per cent found in a similar study conducted in 2012.

Article content

“It is alarming that this report concludes that Canadians are among the most exposed people on Earth to radon, and this means we must urgently address this issue to avoid common but preventable lung cancers in the future ” said Dr. Aaron, a researcher at U of C. Goodarzi.

This is because Canada’s geology is rich in radon-bearing uranium.

The Cross Canada Radon Survey also shows that one of the regions most affected by the colorless, odorless radioactive gas seeping into homes from the ground beneath them is the prairies, where one in five homes has a storage capacity of 200 m3 or more. becquerels or Bq/m³ – level at which mitigation is recommended.

Jurisdictions where gas is most prevalent include Strathmore, Okotoks and High River, where between a quarter and half of households meet or exceed the 200 Bq level, according to the report, which collected 75,000 long-term radon readings from across the country.

“Many of these communes have homes where the average radon level in residential buildings exceeds 130 Bq/m3,” the report reads.

“We therefore recommend that public health stakeholders who are active in these communities pay particular attention at this time to increasing the promotion of radon awareness and access to radon reduction resources.”

Article content

Article content

Scientists say the reason for this rising number may be the way homes are built today and the fact that more people are testing for radon because it is becoming easier to test.

The Canadian average for residential buildings is 84.7, but homes in Calgary and Edmonton have an average 1 in 6 chance of recording radon levels in the range of about 80-110 Bq/m3, the study found.

“Two out of five lung cancer cases currently diagnosed in Canada are not tobacco-related, and part of the reason for this is record high exposure to other potential causes of lung cancer, such as radon, present in the air in the rooms where we live, work and play.” – said Goodarzi, who noted that radon is the second most common cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoking.

Scientists say the potential threat exists in single-family homes and newer homes across Canada.

Higher levels of radon are also found in rural areas that rely more on groundwater sources and in areas with lower population density, the study found.

“Even in regions where average results indicate a lower incidence of elevated radon levels, some homes have radon levels at or above the Health Canada and/or World Health Organization radon reference levels,” the report states.

Article content

The problem occurs when uranium and thorium in rocks and soil break down, turning into radium, a solid radioactive metal.

This metal then decays further into radon, which combines with other gases in the soil, quickly rises to the surface and enters homes, usually through vents in basements.

The lungs are exposed to alpha radiation, which increases the likelihood of lung cells becoming cancerous.

Scientists say dust or smoke in the home usually enhances the effects of the gas.

Testing at home can be done using the so-called an “alpha track” device that uses no electricity and is often shaped like an ant trap or a small hockey puck.

Mitigation measures are recommended when the reading exceeds 100 Bq/m3 – durable modernization that is effective and quick to install, we read in the report.

[email protected]

X; @BillKaufmannjrn

Article content