It can be borrowed like a library book, but be warned: reading a radon meter can be as hair-raising as a Stephen King thriller.
Portable meters remain available for lending at Oliver Paipoonge’s two library branches at a time of year when experts recommend testing.
“You can have it for three weeks, just like a book,” Oliver Paipoonge librarian Maxine McCulloch said on Wednesday.
“I’ve got three available right now” at the library’s Murillo branch, McCulloch added.
A naturally-occuring element found in soil and rock, radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer with prolonged exposure. It’s the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, health expert say.
In-home testing is recommended in winter when furnaces are running and windows are closed most often. Test meters are easy to use and can fit in the hand like a smartphone.
McCulloch said the library’s units are available to card holders. She said they are taken out fairly regularly, especially in a part of the province where readings have occasionally been off the charts.
Awareness of that trend has heightened in recent years.
In 2017 and 2018, a study by Thunder Bay District Health Unit found that 65 per cent of homes in Oliver Paipoonge and 17 per cent of homes in Marathon had high radon levels.
A previous study found the average rate in Thunder Bay with high exposure was 16 per cent of homes, with one city ward registering 43 per cent.
The rates are significantly higher than the average level of five per cent for the entire province.
Homes with a radon meter reading of more than 150 becquerels per metre (Bq/m3) should consider sealing foundation cracks and ventilation upgrades, experts say.
By Carl Clutchey, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Feb 26, 2025 at 10:00
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