RDCO offering free radon test kits

With support from Interior Health and BC Centre for Disease Control, the Regional District of Central Okanagan (RDCO) is collaborating with Take Action on Radon to provide free radon test kits. While supplies last, approximately 400 radon gas test kits are available for Central Okanagan workplaces and residents.  

“The Central Okanagan is at high risk for radon, which is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers,” says Nancy Mora Castro, Regional Air Quality Program Coordinator. “The only way to know radon levels in a building is by testing, and testing is easy. Take the first step and test your home or workplace to protect your family or employees.” 

Interested applicants must register online by Monday, November 4, 2024, or until kits have been allocated, at rdco.com/radon. Limited to one kit per property. The radon test kits will be distributed from Tuesday, November 12 to Tuesday, November 19. Radon test kits for general workplaces and residential dwellings (workers, owners and renters) must be picked up at selected local government community locations and dropped back off at the end of deployment for analysis.

Those who receive a kit will be asked to follow the instructions to complete the 91-day minimum cold season test and return their kit to their local government office in late February 2025. In early Spring 2025, test results will be sent to each participant, along with information and recommendations for mitigation and lowering radon gas levels. 

If you cannot get a free radon test kit or need more, you can get a long-term test kit at  BC Lung Foundation , or find other purchase options at rdco.com/radon 

Radon gas is an odourless and invisible gas that can be found inside any building. Radon levels can vary greatly, so the only way to accurately gauge the potential health impact is by testing. Work, home and leisure indoor space, new and old, should include radon testing as part of their indoor air quality maintenance. 

Take Action on Radon is led by the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) and the Canadian Cancer Society to raise awareness about radon and its potential hazards. To learn more, please visit takeactiononradon.ca.