WEYBURN - The City of Weyburn is inviting all residents of Weyburn to participate in the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge, which is a program that provides free radon test kits to all residents.
All participants in the program are encouraged to attend the Radon Information Session to learn more about the health effects of radon, why it’s a concern in our area, and Health Canada recommendations. The information session will also provide all participants with details on where and when to pick up your radon detector.
The City is pleased to be working with Take Action on Radon, a coalition of national health organizations, to raise awareness on the dangers of radon gas.
The leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, radon gas can be found in elevated concentrations in homes across the country. While Canada has had a National Radon Plan for over a decade, many Canadians remain unaware of the deadly gas.
“On average 58 Canadians will die from lung cancer every day, making it the leading cause of cancer death in Canada,” said Lynn Murad, Cancer Prevention Specialist, Canadian Cancer Society. “It’s important that Canadians know they can control their risk from radon by testing their homes and reducing their exposure.”
“Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer next to smoking. Southern Saskatchewan, North Dakota and Montana have been shown to have some of the highest percentages of radon exposure on record,” said Mayor Marcel Roy.
“We have replaced all of the lead lines in Weyburn for the safety of our citizens, reducing radon levels in resident homes is the next rational step. There are 100 free test kits available to Weyburn citizens, and from there we can assess radon levels, if any, in Weyburn.”
“Radon is a well-established human carcinogen and testing and reducing radon levels is an important method of lung cancer prevention,” said Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol, a researcher from the Faculty of Sciences from Simon Fraser University. “Residential radon is marked as Canadians' primary exposure to radon; preventing radon exposure will reduce the number of Canadians dying of lung cancer.”
‘Testing for radon is simple to do, and there are effective solutions available to reduce radon levels in homes where radon levels are elevated,” said Pam Warkentin, Executive Director of CARST and Project Manager, Take Action on Radon. “The first step is to know your radon level. Every home needs to test for radon – it’s that simple.”
For citizens of Weyburn, now is the perfect time to Take Action on Radon. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the program at https://takeactiononradon.ca/100-radon-test-kit-challenge/
The free Radon Information Session will occur online, Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7 p.m. Participants will be able to pick up their radon test kit from Oct. 29 to Nov. 5 from Weyburn City Hall.
Take Action on Radon is a national initiative that works to bring together radon stakeholders and raise radon awareness across Canada. The initiative is led by the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST), CAREX Canada, and the Canadian Cancer Society.
