Earlier this year, the Ontario Provincial government took the first steps towards enacting the Radon Awareness and Prevention Act, 2012. The private member’s bill passed its First Reading and will have to have a second and third reading before it can be passed into law.
The Radon Awareness and Prevention Act, 2012 calls for amendments to the Building Code Act of 1992 and among other things, looks to set up a province-wide registry to keep track of radon levels. It would require any radon measurement specialist or lab that analyzes a sample to provide the data to the Ontario Radon Registry. The data will be kept on a map to provide the public with information about radon levels based on location.
At its heart is recognition of a government responsibility duty to educate the public on this unseen threat to their health and requires that action be taken to reduce the radon level if it exceeds 200 Bq/m3 per year. There would be specific clauses for homeowners, provincially owned properties and enclosed workspaces.
Let’s hope the government proceeds with the necessary steps to make this bill into law.
Radon Gas
While government level action would be a welcome recognition of this threat, there’s no need to wait for the long processes of the law to find out about this threat to your health. Colourless, odourless and tasteless, radon gas is the natural by-product of the deterioration of uranium in the ground and soil. It generally enters a home from the ground up via cracks in the earth and foundation of the building. Experts, including the Canadian Cancer Society believe it to be the second leading cause of lung cancers after smoking.
At ESG, we can provide two types of radon testing, short term if you’re in a hurry or long term testing. The latter is preferable since levels can change over time and over the seasons.
The air you breathe is essential to good health for you and your family. Let us give you peace of mind – call the Environmental Services Group for a quote.
In The News:
ESG is now an official supplier of HGTV’s Income Properties!
Environmental Services Group is a cutting edge environmental consulting firm based in Toronto and servicing both the Greater Toronto Area and Ontario. We provide state-of-the-art, industry-leading expertise in remedying environmental hazards such as mold, lead, asbestos and much more. Call 416-575-6111 or visit our website today for a pressure-free initial consultation. You’ll be glad you did!
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