Speaker
Description
To address the risks Canadians face from radon, Health Canada leads the National Radon Program. Under this program, targeted research aims to close knowledge gaps and, in conjunction with outreach and stakeholder engagement, informs Canadians of these health risks and motivates action to reduce them. Integral to the program, Health Canada regularly reviews and updates the national radon risk guidance and resources to address these gaps and reflect the most current evidence and situation in Canada.
One key strategy, aiming to increase radon testing and mitigation among Canadians, involves adapting Health Canada’s testing guidance to include the emerging market of electronic radon monitors now available to consumers. The recently-launched electronic radon monitor testing program, in partnership with SNOLAB, is working to ensure their accuracy, develop guidance on their use, and ultimately protect Canadians from the health hazards associated with measurements from devices that are found to be inaccurate.
Following an overview of the various approaches used by the National Radon Program, this presentation will provide an update on the findings and impact of testing performed to date along with the prospective guidance on how these devices will be incorporated into how Canadians test for radon in their homes. While many questions have been answered on the use of these devices, many more have been raised, providing opportunities for future exploration into the various environmental factors that may affect their performance and limitations of their use.
