Radon Issues | Radon Myths and Facts | Reducing Radon Levels
What is radon?
Radon is an odourless radioactive gas that occurs naturally
in the environment. It is caused by the natural breakdown
of uranium in soils and rocks. In the open air it does not
pose a health risk, but in an enclosed space such as a mine
or a basement, breathing in radon decay products can lead
to lung cancer.
At 4.0 pCi/L a person has the following risk of developing
Lung Cancer.
 
23 people out of 1000 will contract lung cancer due to radon
exposure
It equates to smoking 1/2 pack of cigarettes per day
It equates to 200 to 300 chest X-Ray's per year
At 22.0 pCi/L a person has the following risk of developing
Lung Cancer.
1 out of 6 people will contract lung cancer due to radon exposure
It equates to smoking 2 packs of cigarettes per day
It equates to 1000 chest X-Ray's per year
The Health Canada report estimates that lung cancers from
radon exposure account for about 10 per cent of all lung cancers,
second only behind smoking. It is the leading cause of
lung cancer among non-smokers. It says an estimated 2,400
lung cancer deaths in 2006 can be attributed to radon. "The
number of radon-induced lung cancers is about one-half of
the deaths due to automobile accidents, and is equal to the
combined total of deaths due to accidental poisonings, homicides,
drownings and fires," says the Health Canada report.
"In any other situation, this number of deaths would
certainly justify a major public health initiative."
Radon can seep into a house through dirt floors, cracks in
concrete walls and floors, sumps, basement drains, and through
concrete block walls. Radon levels are higher in some geographic
areas than others and from one building to another. Radon
has not been a concern in the Regina area until recently due
to the clay soil which has inhibited the movement of soil
gases. Higher Radon levels have been found in Regina homes
than in 1994 by Professional Building Inspections (PBI). Over
the last few yeas, with little rainfall, the clay has dried
and cracks have opened up, providing channels for the soil
gases to migrate.
One estimate says that about 175,000 Canadian homes, or almost
three per cent of single-family homes, have radon levels above
the proposed new guideline of 200 becquerels (5.4 pCi/L),
and will need to be repaired to ensure the safety of its occupants.
A study carried out by the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region
testing the indoor air quality of Regina homes had revealed
levels of radon gas in 36% of the homes exceeded the accepted
federal limits. The test, conducted on 106 homes at random,
found 38 homes across the city had radon levels higher than
200 Becquerels per cubic metre, the new federal standard implemented
in June 2007.
For houses that require work, the average "mitigation"
cost would be about $1,500 per house.
For more information about radon in the home, see Links
and More Information on this site.
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