The environmental pressure group David Suzuki Foundation has issued a new report about the risks of radon in Canada, especially to homes and workplaces. Although aimed at Canada, many of the points raised are applicable to many countries.
Radon is the outcome of the indirect decay product of uranium or thorium. As radon decays, it produces new radioactive elements termed decay products.
The primary aim of the report is with public education. Although the International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies radon as a known human carcinogen, the report notes that a large number of people are not aware of radon, and fewer still recognize it as a health hazard.
The report also questions the Canadian government’s definition of what is a safe level of radon should be. The report cites Health Canada’s radon guideline, which is 200 bequerels per cubic metre (expressed as Bq/m3, this is a measure of radioactivity). However, based on new evidence that radon can cause a high number of cancer cases even at concentrations lower than 200 Bq/m3, the World Health Organization recommends countries establish a reference level of 100 Bq/m3. The David Suzuki Foundation recommends Canada adopt this lower safety level.
The report also outlines steps and measures that can be taken to lower the risks of radon, with a focus on homes and government owned buildings. These steps include:
Radon prevention, testing and mitigation (where necessary) in daycares, schools, hospitals and other public-access buildings;
Incorporation and enforcement of radon prevention measures in provincial and territorial building codes;
Government incentives and subsidies to encourage homeowners to test for radon and facilitate mitigation where necessary; and,
Evaluate and implement innovative approaches to make radon “visible,” for example with a new requirement for digital radon monitors in homes and public-access buildings.
Finally, the report recommends that homes have radon detectors installed in a similar way that smoke detectors are fitted to sound the alarm in the event of a fire.
