The very real consequences of environmental conditions on human lives gets an artistic turn in a play called Dying Hard which is currently traveling the Fringe Festival circuit across Canada.
A production of A Vagrant Theatre company of St. John’s Newfoundland, it tells the tragic story of what happened to the men and women of the Burin Peninsula area who worked for a local mining company. The mine was opened in the 1930’s in conditions that wouldn’t be tolerated today, and did not pay for the workers’ time, only for the material they were able to wrestle from the bedrock.
Decades later, many were drying from silicosis and lung cancers due to exposure to radon gas that was released when they drilled through the rock. To compound the tragedy, the last of the families that were involved were only just compensated this past year after a battle that in some cases lasted up to 50 years.
Radon Gas
Today, Health Canada estimates that approximately 7% of homes contain unacceptable levels of this odourless, tasteless and colourless gas – and that 10% of all lung cancers are caused by long term exposure. They list is at second only to smoking gas a cause of lung cancers and remains an important indoor air quality issue.
Radon gas is produced by the natural breakdown processes of uranium in the soil, underlying rock or even water and will typically enter a home through cracks in the basement or foundation – or from the bottom up. In today’s airtight homes, it can gather and accumulate without being able to disperse, as it does in the outdoors.
Radon gets inside through:
- Cracks in solid floors
- Construction joints
- Cracks in walls
- Gaps in suspended floors
- Gaps around service pipes
- Cavities inside walls
- The water supply
We can Help!
Impossible to detect without specialized equipment, radon gas can be a scary prospect. We offer both short term and long term radon gas testing, with the latter mode recommended since levels can vary with the seasons and other environmental conditions.
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!