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Radon: About - Canada.ca
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</header> </div> </div> <main property="mainContentOfPage" resource="#wb-main" typeof="WebPageElement" class="container"> <div class="mwstitle section"> <h1 property="name" id="wb-cont" dir="ltr"> Radon: About</h1> </div> <div class="mwsgeneric-base-html parbase section"> <div class="gc-stp-stp"> <div class="row"> <ul class="toc lst-spcd col-md-12"> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt active" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon.html">About</a></li> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/testing-your-home.html">Testing your home</a></li> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/reducing-levels-home.html">Reducing levels in your home</a></li> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/technical-information.html">For professionals</a></li> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/action-guides.html">Action guides</a></li> <li class="col-md-4 col-sm-6"><a class="list-group-item eqht-trgt" href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/resources.html">Resources</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mwsgeneric-base-html parbase section"> <section class="alert alert-info"> <p>Participate in an <a href="/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/participate-study.html">upcoming radon study</a>.</p> </section> <p>Radon is the #1 cause of lung cancer in non-smokers. Exposure to high levels of radon in indoor air results in an increased risk of developing lung cancer. The risk of cancer depends on the level of radon and how long a person is exposed to those levels.</p> <p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://health-infobase.canada.ca/datalab/radon-blog.html#map">Radon Map</a></p> <h2>On this page</h2> <ul> <li><a href="#aa1">What is radon</a></li> <li><a href="#a1">How radon gets into your home</a></li> <li><a href="#a2">Radon levels in Canada</a></li> <li><a href="#a5">More information</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="aa1">What is radon</h2> <p>Radon is a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock. It is invisible, odourless and tasteless. When radon is released from the ground into the outdoor air, it is diluted and is not a concern. However, in enclosed spaces, like homes, it can accumulate to high levels and become a risk to the health of you and your family.</p> <p> Radon gas breaks down to form radioactive elements that can be inhaled into the lungs. In the lungs, radon continues to breakdown, creating radioactive particles that release small bursts of energy. This energy is absorbed by nearby lung tissue, damaging the lung cells. When cells are damaged, they have the potential to result in cancer when they reproduce.</p> <p>Exposure to radon and <a href="/en/health-canada/services/health-concerns/tobacco.html">tobacco</a> use together can significantly increase your risk of lung cancer.</p> <h2 id="a1">How radon gets into your home</h2> <p>The air pressure inside your home is usually lower than in the soil surrounding the foundation. This difference in pressure draws air and other gases, including radon, from the soil into your home.</p> <p>Radon can enter a home any place it finds an opening where the house contacts the ground: cracks in foundation floor and walls, construction joints, gaps around service pipes, support posts, window casements, floor drains, sumps or cavities inside walls.</p> <h2 id="a2">Radon levels in Canada</h2> <p>Uranium is a common element found everywhere in the earth's crust, as a result radon gas can be found in almost all homes in Canada. Concentrations differ greatly across the country, but are usually higher in areas where there is a higher amount of uranium in underlying rock and soil.</p> <p>Radon concentration levels will vary from one house to another, even if they are similar designs and next door to each other. The only way to be sure of the radon level in your home is to test.</p> <h2 id="a5">More information</h2> <ul> <li><a href="/en/health-canada/corporate/contact-us/radon.html">Contact us</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnqIPtZt3Go">Mike Holmes on Radon</a> (video)</li> <li><a href="https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/reduce-your-risk/know-your-environment/radon">Canadian Cancer Society - Radon</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEcoPgA-FE4">Radon: Is it in Your Home?</a> (video)</li> <li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya8Yl-oudnU">Plan to be here - Take Action on Radon</a> (video)</li> <li><a href="https://www.lung.ca/lung-health/air-quality/indoor-air-quality/radon">Canadian Lung Association - Pollution and Air Quality - Indoor Air - Radon</a></li> <li><a href="https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/44149/9789241547673_eng.pdf">World Health Organization (WHO) handbook on indoor radon - a public health perspective (PDF)</a></li> <li><a href="https://healthyenvironmentforkidsca.e.civicrm.ca/campaign/home-safety">Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment (CPCHE) - Home safety for your kid's sake campaign</a></li> </ul> </div> <section class="pagedetails"> <h2 class="wb-inv">Page details</h2> <dl id="wb-dtmd"> <dt>Date modified:</dt> <dd><time property="dateModified">2023-06-16</time></dd> </dl> </section> </main> <div class="newpar new section"> </div> <div class="par iparys_inherited"> </div> <div class="newpar new section"> </div> <div class="par iparys_inherited"> <div class="global-footer"> <footer id="wb-info"> <h2 class="wb-inv">About this site</h2> <div class="gc-contextual"><div class="container"> <nav> <h3>Health Canada</h3> <ul class="list-col-xs-1 list-col-sm-2 list-col-md-3"> <li><a href="/en/health-canada/corporate/contact-us.html">Contact us</a></li> </ul> </nav> </div></div> <div class="gc-main-footer"> <div class="container"> <nav> <h3>Government of Canada</h3> <ul class="list-unstyled colcount-sm-2 colcount-md-3"> <li><a href="/en/contact.html">All contacts</a></li> <li><a href="/en/government/dept.html">Departments and agencies</a></li> <li><a href="/en/government/system.html">About government</a></li> </ul> <h4><span class="wb-inv">Themes and topics</span></h4> <ul class="list-unstyled colcount-sm-2 colcount-md-3"> <li><a href="/en/services/jobs.html">Jobs</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/immigration-citizenship.html">Immigration and citizenship</a></li> <li><a href="https://travel.gc.ca/">Travel and tourism</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/business.html">Business</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/benefits.html">Benefits</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/health.html">Health</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/taxes.html">Taxes</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/environment.html">Environment and natural resources</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/defence.html">National security and defence</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/culture.html">Culture, history and sport</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/policing.html">Policing, justice and emergencies</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/transport.html">Transport and infrastructure</a></li> <li><a href="https://international.gc.ca/world-monde/index.aspx?lang=eng">Canada and the world</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/finance.html">Money and finance</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/science.html">Science and innovation</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/indigenous-peoples.html">Indigenous peoples</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/veterans-military.html">Veterans and military</a></li> <li><a href="/en/services/youth.html">Youth</a></li> </ul> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="gc-sub-footer"> <div class="container d-flex align-items-center"> <nav> <h3 class="wb-inv">Government of Canada Corporate</h3> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/social.html">Social media</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/mobile.html">Mobile applications</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/government/about.html">About Canada.ca</a></li> <li><a href="/en/transparency/terms.html">Terms and conditions</a></li> <li><a href="/en/transparency/privacy.html">Privacy</a></li> </ul> </nav> <div class="wtrmrk align-self-end"> <img src="/etc/designs/canada/wet-boew/assets/wmms-blk.svg" alt="Symbol of the Government of Canada"/> </div> </div> </div> </footer> </div> </div> <script type="text/javascript">_satellite.pageBottom();</script> <script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.2.4/jquery.min.js" integrity="sha256-BbhdlvQf/xTY9gja0Dq3HiwQF8LaCRTXxZKRutelT44=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script> <script src="/etc/designs/canada/wet-boew/js/ep-pp.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc/designs/canada/wet-boew/js/wet-boew.min.js"></script> <script src="/etc/designs/canada/wet-boew/js/theme.min.js"></script> </body> </html>