Radon gas causes more deaths than cars, say cancer prevention advocates

To kick off November’s Radon Action Month, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) and CAREX Canada are launching Plan to be Here: an initiative that aims to raise awareness about the cancer risks associated with radon and the importance of having homes tested.

“Many Canadians are unaware that radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers,” says Pam Warkentin, Executive Director of CARST and Project Manager, Take Action on Radon. “Just as it’s now second nature for Canadians to buckle their seat-belts and change the batteries in their smoke detectors, we need to encourage people to take action to reduce their cancer risk and test their homes for radon.”

“Radon is a radioactive gas that is present in the air and can accumulate in high concentrations in homes, the news release continues. “Long-term exposure to high levels of radon damages the DNA in our lung tissue and can lead to increased lung cancer risk.” According to Health Canada, over 1 million Canadian homes have high radon levels.

CLICK HERE  to read more about the Take Action on Radon initiative

CLICK HERE  to read Canadian Contractor’s recent coverage of this issue