Radon concerns

[William Marston]

Radon concerns
Health Canada printed and distributed a brochure in the Kingston Ontario area.. “Radon: Is it in your home” My brother Bill Marston brought this to my attention because it seems alarming.
“Exposure to radon and tobacco use together can significantly increase your risk of lung cancer. For example, if you are a lifetime smoker but are not exposed to radon, your risk of getting lung cancer is one in eight. If you add exposure to a high level of radon, your risk becomes one in three.” According to Bill Marston this is alarmist.

And so according to the
Canadian Radon Guideline
■ Remedial measures should be undertaken in a dwelling whenever the average
annual radon concentration exceeds 200 Bq/m3 in the normal occupancy area.
Radon: A Guide for Canadian Homeowners
ISBN 0-662-25909-2
Cat. no. NH15-180/1997E

Here is where you can find a Radon Map for Canada so far…
A PRELIMINARY RADON MAP FOR CANADA ACCORDING
TO HEALTH REGION
Radiation Protection Dosimetry (200, pp. 1–3
Radiation Protection Dosimetry Advance Access published April 16, 2008

Also the OBC div B part 9…section 9.1.1.7 talks about 3 specific areas in On where Radon 222 might exceed 250millibecquerels per litre of air. If so, then specific construction measures would be mandated.

Of course you can purchase a test kit, for around $50.00 and in about a week you can receive the results. Unlike water testing, which is free in the Kingston Ontario area these tests cost money. For water, according to Bill Marston, you simply pick a test bottle at 221 Portsmouth, or 181 Barrie St, follow the instructions, take the sample, return the bottle, and the results are returned to you for no cost in about 7-10 days.

Have a great day

John Marston CPI,CIM,BSC
The Financial Toolbox... certified home inspections
Kingston, Ontario

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

seems to be factual.
what is the particular concern?

[William Marston]

Again… RADON 222

So the question really is not “Is radon dangerous” but rather, how “high” is "elevated"? Further, is the total accumulative life-time dose or the dose rate more important? Recent studies are answering these questions and demonstrating that radon in residential settings is not nearly the cause for alarm originally proffered by politically motivated governmental agencies or financially motivated radon testing and mitigation practitioners. http://www.forensic-applications.com/radon/radon.html
. A later study 10 (referred to as the Cohen Study), which is one of the largest studies, incorporated about 33% of the counties in the U.S. and looked at the issue of the linear, no-threshold dose-risk relationship used by the EPA. In this study, a least squares linear regression of lung cancer rates vs. mean radon levels gave a negative correlation between death and exposure levels. In other words, the higher the radon level in the county, the lower the death rate from lung cancer was for the community. The result was not due to questionable interpretation of shaky statistics; each of the studies showed a negative correlation with slopes of not less than seven standard deviations (and sometimes greater than 10 standard deviations) greater than zero

And then the Testing methods.. Charcoal vs alpha-track
The uncertainty for attempting to extrapolate the yearly radon concentration from a five to seven day sample is huge: about +/- 90% (at the 90% confidence level) 17. Forthisreason, a single CC reading (or indeed several) cannot be used to estimate the annual radon exposure in a house.
With such a high CC error level, and 3-6 months needed for the Alpha-track a conditional clause injected into a real estate transaction needs some thought.

To become a certified Radon Measurement Provider… All you need to do is complete the NACHI Radon Measurement Service Provider course CE16… and then write the exam $100 at the nearest centre.
“I've spoke with the NEHA-NRPP Director and she advised me that the initial courses are not reviewed by NEHA-NRPP but that they must be at least 16 hours. Since this course is 16 hours, you can schedule your appointment to sit for the NEHA-NRPP Radon Measurement Service Provider exam”

Have a great day

John Marston CPI,CIM,,BSc
The Financial Toolbox… Certified Home Inspections
www.activerain.com/homeinspectormarston

[Joseph Hagarty, CMI]

John,
I know what Radon is...

It is a Business.
If it was a Health concern, why was it delegated to the EPA and not the Department of Health.