By rdnewsNOW staff

100 Free Kits Available

Lacombe County program offering free test kit to help protect local residents from lung cancer

Oct 30, 2023 | 4:24 PM

Lacombe County has announced they are working with Take Action on Radon and BC Lung to raise awareness of the dangers of radon gas.

As a result, County officials are inviting Lacombe County residents to participate in the 100 Radon Test Kit Challenge; a program that provides free radon test kits to residents.

Only 100 free kits are available, so residents must sign up for the program at https://form.jotform.com/232965062149258.

The County says all participants in the program are encouraged to attend the Radon Information Session on November 22 at 7pm (via Zoom) to learn more about the health effects of radon, why it’s a concern in our area, and Health Canada recommendations. Officials note, the information session will also provide all participants with details on where and when to pick up their radon detector.

County officials say Canada has had a National Radon Plan for over a decade, encouraging people to test their homes for radon and reduce high levels. The County says radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and can be found in elevated concentrations in homes across the country.

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Officials say Mike Bates is coordinating the program for the community, “After learning about this program, Lacombe County thought it was a great opportunity to help families test their homes for radon. We are all spending more time at home, and this initiative is an important step for families to take in reducing their radon levels.”

“Radon is a well-established human carcinogen, and testing and reducing radon levels is an important method of lung cancer prevention.” says Dr. Anne-Marie Nicol, a researcher from the Faculty of Sciences at Simon Fraser University, “Residential radon is marked as Canadians’ primary exposure to radon; preventing radon exposure will reduce the number of Canadians dying of lung cancer.”

“We are seeing awareness increase in many areas across Canada. Many people know that testing for radon is an important action in looking after their health,” says Pam Warkentin, Executive Director of CARST and Project Manager, Take Action on Radon. “If you tested for radon years ago, it may be time to test again. Or if you haven’t gotten around to it, this is your chance to stop putting it off and get your radon test.”

Funding for this project is provided by Health Canada.

For residents of Lacombe County, now is the perfect time to Take Action on Radon. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the program at https://takeactiononradon.ca/100-radon-test-kit-challenge/

The free Radon Information Sessions will be:

Wednesday, November 22, 7pm on Zoom. Residents are encouraged to sign up for the program online here: https://form.jotform.com/232965062149258

Participants will be able to pick up their radon test from Lacombe County Office, located at 40403 Range Road 27-4 from November 23 through December 1, Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

About Take Action on Radon

Take Action on Radon is a national initiative that brings radon stakeholders together and raises radon awareness across Canada. The initiative is led by the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) and the Canadian Cancer Society.

To learn more about radon and how to test your home, visit: TakeActionOnRadon.ca.