April 2018 Board Meeting - Radon: Know Your Level Project Information Report

Meeting Document Type
Information Report
Radon: Know Your Level Project

Prepared By:

Karen Lukic, Health Promotion Specialist, Environmental Health Department

Date:

April 19, 2018

Subject:

Radon: Know Your Level Project

Background

Radon is a gas that is produced when naturally occurring uranium, found in soil and rock, decays. It can’t be seen, smelled or tasted and is in nearly every home across Canada. When radon gets into buildings and homes, it can accumulate to levels high enough to cause an increase in lung cancer risk. According to Health Canada (2014), long- term exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and the primary cause for non-smokers. Health Canada has set the Canadian guideline for radon levels in the home at 200 Bq/m3. It is recommended that if homes test at 200 Bq/m3 or higher, they should be remediated to reduce levels to as low as physically possible.

Unfortunately, many homeowners are not aware of radon or the level of radon exposure within their homes. A local telephone based survey conducted by the Windsor- Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) found the majority of respondents (62.3%) had no plans to have their dwelling tested with 17.0% of them believing radon testing is not important and there is no risk. In addition, 7.5% did not know how to test their home (RRFSS, 2017). In a cross- Canada study released by Health Canada in 2012, 13.8% of homes tested in Windsor- Essex County (WEC) had radon levels at or above 200 Bq/m3 (Health Canada, 2012). These numbers were comparable to the internal 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 radon studies completed by the WECHU which found 12.2% and 14.6% of homes respectively had levels above 200 Bq/m3 (WECHU, 2016 and 2017). In comparison, based on the Health Canada study in 2012, the proportion of homes in Lambton and Chatham-Kent counties with levels above 200 Bq/m3 were 8.5% and 18.4% respectively.

Public awareness initiatives such as the Radon: Know Your Level Project are put in place to address potential environmental exposures of health hazards to the general public such as radon gas. The WECHU’s Environmental Health Department (EHD) coordinates the monitoring, and surveillance of environmental exposures of public health significance and provides the public with education and mitigation options. These activities are required in the Health Hazard Response Protocol, 2018 and Healthy Environments and Climate Change Guideline, 2018.

The "Radon: Know Your Level" Project

The Radon: Know Your Level Project is a 3-year research study led by the EHD which began in 2015. The goals of the project are to increase awareness of radon and its association with lung cancer; provide the public with radon reduction resources on how to test and reduce the amount of radon in their homes and; determine areas in WEC with higher average indoor radon concentrations and home characteristics associated with higher risk.

During each year of this study, approximately 1000 local homeowners received a free radon testing kit for their homes. Promotion and test kit distribution was strategically implemented during the month of November which is Lung Cancer Awareness month and Radon promotion month in Canada. The kits were distributed equally across the WEC communities and to date, almost 3000 homes in Windsor-Essex have been tested for radon. This project was divided into two phases for each of the study years.

Phase 1

Promotion and Education

Begins in October with a press release announcing the launch of the study and application process, social media posts (Facebook and Twitter) that provide information about radon and promotion of the study, development of WECHU website articles, and posters are distributed throughout the community to notify the public. The WECHU utilizes different avenues to educate homeowners, targeting members of the community through online, in-person and telephone. 

Kit Distribution

The general public was invited to apply to be part of the study by completing a survey that determines eligibility and collects information about the applicant and their home. Phase 1 ends with the distribution of the radon kits to eligible applicants and the beginning of the approximate 3-month testing phase.

Phase 2

Kit Retrieval

This phase begins in March and involves the collection of test kits from study participants. Collected kits are shipped to an accredited laboratory for testing. Results are received within 6-8 weeks of the lab receiving the kits and relayed to the homeowner.

Data Analysis

All data is collected, processed and analyzed by the WECHU team to look for trends to report to the public. All data collected is used to inform future program planning. The data supports the development of strategies that further raises public awareness and reduces environmental health risks in our community.

Highlights of the 2016/2017 Study Report

  • 14.6% of homes in WEC had radon levels above 200 Bq/m³ (compared to 12.2% in the 2015/2016 study).
  • Essex County had a significantly greater proportion of homes with levels above the Canadian guideline (22%)  compared to the City of Windsor (8%).
  • The average indoor radon level for WEC from the 2016/2017 study results was 106 Bq/m³.
  • Amherstburg, Kingsville, Leamington, and LaSalle had average concentrations 20 to 33 Bq/m3 higher than the WEC average.
  • Newer builds (2011 or after) had the highest average indoor radon concentrations.
  • Homes with two levels (i.e., basement and main floor) had 21% higher average radon levels compared to one-level houses with a crawl space partially or completely under the house.

Current Initiatives

The final year of the Radon: Know Your Level project (2017/2018 Study) is nearing completion. Phase 2 was recently completed in March of 2018.  A total of 832 kits were received from the 947 that were distributed for a response rate of 88%.  A report with results from the 2017/2018 study and a final report summarizing all 3 years of the study will be completed in 4th quarter 2018.

Consultation:

The following individuals contributed to this report:

  • Theresa Marentette, Acting CEO and Director, Health Protection Division
  • Phil Wong, Manager, Environmental Health Department
  • Mike Tudor, Manager, Environmental Health Department
  • Saamir Pasha, Epidemiologist, Epidemiology and Evaluation Department

Data Sources:

Approved by:

Theresa Marentette