(Home radon detector can be borrowed from public libraries in Nova Scotia. photo Airthings)
The Lung Association of Nova Scotia is making the units available for loan with support from the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources and Health Canada.
The Lung Association says Radon gas is responsible for approximately 16% of all cases of lung cancer and it occurs in dangerous levels in some homes in Nova Scotia.
In a news release, Robert MacDonald, President and CEO of the Lung Association of Nova Scotia says if this program creates more awareness around the province and encourages more people to test their homes for Radon, we’ll be making significant strides in improving lung health in Nova Scotia.
The only way to know if a home has radon is to test for it.
Ian White, the public relations manager for the Western Counties Regional Library in Yarmouth says they’ve done a soft launch of the kits.
“Currently we have two in circulation. There’s one based out of Yarmouth and one based out of Shelburne but of course they can been loaned from any branch within our system and we will have three more coming in by the end of 2017.”
White says there’s a six-week loan period for the Radon detectors and you must be 18 years of age or older to borrow one and you must sign a waiver.