What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas found in the ground throughout the world. You cannot see, taste or smell it. Most buildings contain some amount of radon gas, but the only way to know if levels are high is with a radon test.
Why should you care?
Radon gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking, and is the number one environmental cancer-causing agent. According to the BC Centre for Disease Control's radon map, within the Interior Health area an estimated 30% of homes are above the recommended radon level.
The BC Lung Foundation's Healthy Indoor Environments program notes that Canadians spend 90% of their day indoors. The air we breathe indoors can contain particulates, gases, allergens and fumes that can significantly impact our health in both the short and long term. Knowing the main indoor air pollutants, their sources and taking step to reduce them are key to reducing harm to our health.
Health Canada notes the risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and how long a person is exposed. Recommends reducing radon to far below the Canadian Guideline of 200 Bq/m3. Radon levels in most buildings can be reduced at reasonable costs. To determine radon levels, buildings should be tested.
How does radon get indoors?
Radon takes the easiest path into buildings through rocks, soil, dirt and concrete floors and foundation seams. Heating and ventilation systems influence radon levels too. During the cooler months, windows and doors are often closed and rising warm air enables radon to escape from the ground to inside buildings.
Source: Natural Resources Canada, contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Free radon test kit program
No area is radon-free, and elevated radon levels can be found in all types of buildings - homes, workplaces, schools, etc.
The Central Okanagan Air Quality program, with support from Interior Health, Take Action on Radon and all partner municipalities, provide a limited number of free radon test kits for indoor environments.
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Fall 2023 radon test kit program |
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The 2023 program is focused on:
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Who qualifies for the program? |
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Central Okanagan residents including workplaces, property owners and tenants within:
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Community pick up and return locations |
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Test kits can be picked up between Monday, October 30 and Friday, November 3, 2023. Test kits must be dropped off between Tuesday, February 20 and Tuesday February 27, 2024.
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Submitting test kits |
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Test kits should be returned to the collection points by Tuesday, February 27, 2024. They will be sent to a laboratory for analysis in one consolidated shipment. If you miss the drop off dates you will be responsible for the cost of mailing it to the lab for analysis. Mail to: Take Action on Radon
Participants of the free radon test kit program must complete the mandatory Start/End Survey to receive their confidential test results in spring 2024. |
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Understanding your test results |
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Health Canada and health experts recommend action should be taken to reduce radon exposure. Fix now - If your radon levels are over 600 Bq/m3 you should aim to reduce your radon within one year. Fix soon - If your radon levels are 200 to 600 Bq/m3 you should aim to reduce your radon within two years.
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Radon mitigation grant |
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School Screening Project 2020-2022
In September 2020, the Air Quality program successfully applied for and received $20,200 in funding from Health Canada for a Radon Outreach Project. The project’s goal was to initiate screening of radon levels in selected schools in the Central Okanagan, so school operators will learn how easy it is to test for radon, get radon on their agenda, mitigate where necessary to lower radon exposure to children and staff, and through an online campaign raise radon awareness region-wide.
This is a collaborative project with School District 23, Independent Schools, Interior Health, CARST and Health Canada and will see 55 elementary schools screened for radon in 2020-2022.
Resources
- Take Action on Radon
- 2023 Webinar Radon in the Workplace - June 7, 2023
- 2022/2023 Fall 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge - Community Reports Results
- 2022 Information Session video for the 100 Radon test kit challenge
- RDCO workplace radon testing video - October 26, 2022
- 2020 Kelowna Radon Reports video - Aug. 18, 2021
- Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST)
Frequently asked questions
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My home is new. Should I still test for radon? |
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It's always a good idea to have your house tested. Please see Interior Health's pdf on radon in your new home. The Radon Provisions of the BC Building Code, 2018 changed. Under Division B Section 9.13.4. Soil Gas Control, there are requirements for rough-ins for a subfloor depressurization system. Homes still need to be tested after occupancy. If radon levels are high, the completion of a subfloor depressurization system may be necessary to reduce the radon concentration to a level below the guideline specified by Health Canada. |
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Buying a new or older home and you would like to know its radon levels? |
| In BC, according to the BC Financial Services Authority’s Radon Precautions Guidelines real estate professionals must advise sellers and landlords that radon levels of 200 Bq/m3 or more constitute a material latent defect and must be disclosed to buyers and tenants. |
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Where can I purchase a radon test kit? |
| Please note that long-term kits are recommended (90 days) during the cold weather heating season. Kits may be purchased through: The Okanagan Regional Library offers Digital Radon Detector Kits for loan. This tool will provide a snapshot of radon levels. For a more comprehensive assessment follow-up with a 90-day test kit. To encourage long-term assessments, Health Canada has partnered with multiple test kit suppliers to provide a discount code for purchasing a long-term radon detector. This program will run from September 15, 2023 until March 2024. For further information, please contact your local library. |
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How does the test kit work? |
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Long-term radon detectors are most commonly alpha track devices. Alpha track detectors contain a small piece of plastic which gets ‘etched’ or marked by the energy that is released from the radon decay process. This mark on the plastic is from the same impact that can damage your lung tissue, however on the plastic inside the detector it leaves a mark that can be counted by the lab. |
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Where do I send my radon test? |
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Your kit will have instructions on it with where to submit the radon detector. |
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Where can I read more? |
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