P.E.I. Lung Association adds more short-term radon detectors as wait list grows

The P.E.I. Lung Association has added 15 more short-term radon detectors to the radon detector library loan program in an attempt to combat a 31-week wait list.

The program launched last November to give Islanders a free chance to test their home for the radioactive gas which is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, according to Health Canada.

"It definitely is concerning and something that is preventable," said Julia Hartley, the association coordinator for the P.E.I. Lung Association.

"It's not as much of a problem as some of the other provinces, however, there are pockets on the Island."

Radon is a natural occurring radioactive gas that migrates up from the ground and can find its way into a home through any opening in the building envelope, such ascracks or an open sump pit, said Scott Cryer, the president of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists.

If there is an opening for radon to enter, Cryer said the home acts like a vacuum pulling the gas from the ground - similar to the way a chimney works.

"It's not like mould," he said. "We can't see it, we can't smell it, we can't taste it."

'Peace of mind'

Bob Mahen tested his Charlottetown home in February after a small nudge from his wife.

"She said, 'We should probably have the house checked for that,' and I thought, 'I don't think so,'" he laughed. "So I picked up the little machine."

The device came with instructions on how it works and where to place it inside your home. At that time, Mahen said the wait list was only a month long.

"I suppose there's some peace of mind in it if it's rattling around in the back of your mind on things to be careful about then you can cross that one off the list," he said. "It's quite easy to do."

Fluctuating readings

The current Canadian guideline for radon in homes is 200 becquerels per cubic metre. Mahen said his readings were well below that, fluctuating between zero and 50.

He was expecting to have the short-term detector for a month but managed to snag it for three because of the pandemic - a positive outcome since the ideal test time is 91 days, according to Cryer.

"It can change hour to hour, day to day and even more so season to season," said Cryer. "It can go up and down like a yo-yo."

As a result, he said, a long-term test is best.

It's your health. It's your lungs. Protect them.- Scott Cryer, president of the Canadian Association of Radon and Scientist Technologists

According to Cryer, the problem occurs when radon gas breaks down into a particle.

"So you breathe that all in and you exhale the radon but the radon decay products can get lodged in your sinuses, down in your throat, down in your lungs."

He said that is when those particles break down even further, releasing a burst of energy and become harmful.

77 person wait

The short-term testers can be rented for six-weeks from the Confederation Centre Public Library. There is currently a 77 person wait to rent one and demand is expected to grow with the best testing time falling after summer, according to Hartley.

But the group is hopeful the new kits will help.

In addition, they also sell long term testing kits in case Islanders find high levels in their homes.

And while Cryer maintains long term testing is best, he said, short-term detectors can provide a screening to indicate what the levels in the home could be like.

"It's easy to do," he said."It's your health. It's your lungs. Protect them."

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