16% of lung cancers deaths in Canada are caused by radon gas exposure & the number one environmental cause of cancer deaths. Consider radon testing.
Because almost all homes have some radon, Health Canada recommends that every home and building in Canada should be tested. Several methods can be used to measure radon in your home. mr natural® environmental group can test for Radon.
What is Radon?
Radon is colourless, odorless, tasteless radioactive gas. Radon escapes from the ground and can enter enclosed spaces, such as your home. Sometimes it can concentrate into high levels and contaminate the air you breathe. It is formed by the breakdown of uranium, a natural radioactive material found in soil, rock and groundwater.
Living in the house with high levels of radon gas is like smoking a pack or more of cigarettes every day!
What is the Risk of Radon Exposure?
Radon and radon progeny in the air can be breathed into the lungs where they break down further and emit “alpha particles”. Alpha particles release small bursts of energy absorbed by nearby lung tissue. This results in lung cell death or damage.
When lung cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce. Cancers caused by radioactivity are started by chance and not everyone exposed to radon gas will develop lung cancer. The time between exposure and the onset of the disease is usually many years.
Your risk of developing lung cancer from radon exposure depends on the concentration of radon gas in the air you breathe and the length of time you are exposed.
According to WHO, the World Health Organization, the risk of lung cancer increases by 16 percent per 100 Bq/m3 increase in radon concentration.
Facts About Radon
The data released by Health Canada for actual testing of 14,000 homes show over 1,500 homes had radon levels above the current guidelines. Currently, safe levels are set at 200 becquerels or Bq/m3, however, the World Health Organization recommends 100 Bq/m3. Home or property owners are not required to disclose levels of radon or radon-affected area or provide a radon warning statement to the buyer. We believe radon levels in the home should be as close to zero as possible.
Radon Testing
Testing for radon requires a week for accurate results. A radon test is non-evasive and costs less than a few hundred dollars.
Radon Mitigation
There are several solutions available to mitigate Radon and they depend on several factors. mr natural® can identify points of ingress and outline options for reducing it to safe levels.
