For the past three years, the Donna Schmidt Memorial Lung Cancer Society has provided radon detectors to Castlegar residents free of charge. After monitoring radon levels for at least a 90 day period, the detectors indicate if the levels of radon in a home are above standard.
Since this program’s inception, over 900 residents have obtained detectors from the society that indicate nearly 50 per cent of the homes in Castlegar are above the standard; however, only a small portion of the people who detect high levels of radon in their homes have taken steps to lower the levels of this toxic gas.
To address this issue, the society has partnered with the Castlegar Rotary Club, with the volunteer assistance of Paul Muntak of Interior Radiation Services Ltd., on a new pilot project to reduce radon levels in individual homes. The society supplies the materials required, and the Rotarians provide the brawn! This past weekend, Rotarians visited the home of Sunshine Bagshaw to implement radon-reducing measures in her home as the initial pilot project.
Anyone can obtain a radon detector free of charge by requesting one at the Castlegar Golder office, located at 201 Columbia or at City Hall. Donations to the Donna Schmidt Memorial Lung Cancer Prevention Society, which supports this program, are always welcome and can be delivered to the Golder office. Information on the steps you can take to reduce radon in your home as well as referrals to professional radiation mitigation services are also available.
-Submitted by Mary Anne Coules