Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) is now testing schools on the Sunshine Coast for radon gas, the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking.
Detectors will be placed in classrooms and in three months will be analyzed, with results sent to school districts and parents. VCH made the announcement on Jan. 29. Other regions participating in the program are North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Sea-to-Sky, Powell River and Central Coast.
Radon levels in the VCH region are low compared to the rest of the province, but some homes have tested above safe levels, said Dr. James Lu, VCH medical health officer. “In doing this testing now we want to confirm that levels in schools are low, as a part of our ongoing commitment to the health and safety of students and staff. At the same time, we’re hoping to encourage people to take action and test their homes,” Lu said.
Radon is a colourless, odourless, and radioactive gas formed by the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. The gas enters buildings through cracks and openings in floors and foundation walls. The gas can accumulate in buildings and other enclosed spaces, and long-term exposure to high levels of the gas can cause lung cancer. In Canada, an estimated 16 per cent of lung cancer deaths are linked to radon exposure.
Home-testing kits are available at hardware stores and can be purchased for $30 at www.radonaware.ca. A limited number of low-cost kits are available through a study at Simon Fraser University. Information can be found at www.sfu.ca/radon.
