The City of Dauphin will be hosting a Radon Information Session on Tuesday at the Dauphin Fire Station, starting at 7:00 PM.
Why attend? Deputy City Manager Lisa Gaudet says Dauphin has a proven history of high radon levels, which can lead to some very severe health effects down the line.
"Our testing campaigns over the last three years have shown that elevated radon levels are a significant concern in Dauphin. In our most recent campaign, more than two-thirds of the homes with reported results had radon levels exceeding three times Health Canada's guideline of 200 becquerel per cubic metre...radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in Canada after smoking, and the leading cause among non-smokers, and Dauphin has been shown to have the highest levels of radon in Manitoba, and in Canada as well," said Gaudet.
According to Airthings, a tech company which makes radon-detecting equipment, Dauphin currently has the 6th worst radon levels in all of Canada, averaging 341.6 Becquerels per cubic metre, 75% higher than Health Canada's recommended level. Gaudet said anyone who wants to learn more about radon, and how to mitigate it's effects, will learn a lot from Tuesday's information session. Plus, the City will be giving away free radon test kits while supplies last.
"[Health Canada's representative will] be telling us about what radon is, where it comes from, how it enters buildings and why it can accumulate indoors, he'll be talking about the health risks, why long-term exposure to elevated radon levels increases the risk of lung cancer, he'll also teach people how to test your home...by providing free test kits, we're removing a financial barrier, and making it easier for residents to find out whether their homes have elevated radon levels," said Gaudet.
Until November 17th at 7:00 PM, you can also enter to win a digital radon detector from the City of Dauphin. For details, visit their Facebook page.
