26 Nov Radon Detector Library Loan Program Announcement
I was honoured to emcee the Radon Detector Library Loan Program Announcement at the Halifax Central Library, where Energy and Mines Minister, Derek Mombourquette, and Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Robert Strang, shared the importance of implementing these detectors in our homes.
The province is partnering up with the Lung Association of Nova Scotia, and investing $30,000 into the program.
The province is helping families protect themselves from the risks of radon by making it easier to test for the radioactive gas. This means that individuals can borrow a device from their library and get a radon level reading in their home.
It is important to educate yourself on how to test for radon, as it is not only odourless, but colourless and gives an increased chance of developing lung cancer.
Radon forms naturally and is released slowly by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, water and some building materials.
With some areas having a wait-list of 8 months for a detector, this new investment is said to cut those wait times by half.
The new investment will buy 100 more devices; The total number of detectors available at libraries across Nova Scotia are more than 250.
Halifax Public Libraries currently has 83 kits available, with 369 holds waiting for a detector.
Four other provinces have radon detector programs based on Nova Scotia’s program.
For more information about radon, please visit: https://novascotia.ca/dhw/environmental/radon.asp
To order a radon detection kit, go to: https://ns.lung.ca/our-programs/radon