Midwestern

High Radon Levels Can Kill

The Canadian Cancer Society wants to see all homes tested for cancer causing radon gas that seeps from the ground into buildings.

The Company Mr. Radon recently spent a day installing a system to direct radon out of a Wingham home, after testing showed an average level of 338 becrels per cubic metre inside, and 37-thousand becrels outside the home.

Health Canada says radon should be under 200 becrels..

Bob Wood of Mr. Radon says you can't see, smell or taste the naturally occuring gas.  The radioactive gas that is everywhere in the ground seeps into your home due to pressure differences.

He says any home could have high levels of radon, which exposes people to radioactivity.

He says, "Radon caused lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer, and the number one environmental cause of cancer in North America."

Health Canada is urging all home owners to test for radon using a long term test kit.

You can get test kits at places like Home Hardware, and The Home depot. They can also be ordered one on line from places like the Radiation Safety Institute of Canada for about $60.

It usually costs about $3,000. to install a system to fix the problem

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