Today@Dal

What is radon?

Radon is a radioactive gas that you can’t see, smell or taste. Radon comes from the ground and can accumulate to high levels in some buildings. This is dangerous because breathing in high levels of radon for long durations increases the risk of lung cancer.

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second leading cause of lung cancer overall.

Is radon in your home?

All homes have some level of radon gas, the question is – how much? The only way to know is to test. Have you had your home tested for radon?

How much radon is too much?

There is no safe level of radon, but Health Canada recommends that if your radon level is at 200 Becquerels per cubic meter (Bq/m³) or higher, you should lower it too as low as possible.

Radon at Dalhousie

The Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Office tests Dalhousie buildings for radon every year. More information, including locations and dates of testing can be found on the Environmental Health & Safety myDal (login required).

Ways to learn more about radon

• Get to know radon by taking a closer look at some common radon questions in this interactive Radon Game.
• Visit the Radon Information page on the EH&S myDal site.
• Contact a member of the Radiation Safety team, Jill Robertson (jrobertson@dal.ca) or Bertha Louis (bertha.louis@dal.ca).
• Visit the Take Action on Radon website.
• LungNSPEI Radon Reduction Grant Program
• LungNSPEI MLA Radon Detector Loan Program