FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 15, 2021
Prevention Starts at Home: Test Your Home for Radon with a Free Test Kit & PROTECT your Family from Lung Cancer
We are 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 municipality of Weyburn 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,” says 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,” says 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. 100 free test kits are available to Weyburn citizens, 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.” says 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,” says 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, October 28, 7:00pm. Participants will be able to pick up their radon test kit from October 29 to November 5 from Weyburn City Hall.
About Take Action on Radon
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.
To learn more about radon and how to test your home, visit: TakeActionOnRadon.ca