Most people don’t. In fact, it’s radon, an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that’s present in varying degrees in every Canadian home. The only way to discover how much radon is in a home is to test for it. If your home exceeds the federally determined safe levels, you need to do something about it.
Based on the results of Health Canada's Cross-Canada Residential Radon Survey, 11% of homes (more than 1 in 10 homes) in the Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Health Region have high radon levels, above the Government of Canada Guideline. (You can also read more about radon here and here.)
To shed light on this pressing public health concern, Red Squirrel Conservation Services is hosting a Radon Awareness Workshop in Kingston on Nov. 23 to provide expert, in-depth information about radon and its effects. The event will feature presentations by some of Canada’s most knowledgeable radon experts: Kelley Bush (Health Canada); Kathleen Cooper (Canadian Environmental Law Association); and Brooks Gee (Safe Air Solutions/Mr. Radon).
They will answer questions such as:
- Where does radon come from?
- What are the potential health effects of radon on adults and children?
- What types of radon testing are available?
- How do I get rid of it?
- If I’m building a house, what measures can I take to keep radon out?
- What is the state of radon-prevention legislation and testing standards in Canada?
The workshop is open to the public. A limited number of home radon testing kits will be provided to workshop attendees (for free!) on a first-come, first-served basis.
When: Nov. 23, 2015 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Kingston Frontenac Public Library
Central Branch (Wilson Room), 130 Johnson St., Kingston