Contents of the radon testing kit  includes,  testing device,  instructions and a survey – image courtesy City of Prince George

Prince George, B.C.- The City of Prince George has declared November as Radon Awareness Month  and is making radon testing kits  available to  residents.

Radon is an odourless gas  which is formed by the decay of uranium. It is considered  one of the leading causes of lung cancer,  behind  smoking and second hand smoke.

In a  detailed study  in Prince  George,   test results indicated nearly  one in three homes has levels  of radon that are above the Health Canada  threshold.    New building codes require  radon  dispersion systems in  new  homes,   but existing homes can  be renovated  to have  radon  collected in a pipe and  dispersed  outside.  A renovation  could cost  between $500 and $2,500 .

The kits,  which normally  would cost  about $40 dollars  (once shipping and handling  are covered)  will be offered to the public  for $16 dollars each.

The City has ordered 100 of the kits,  and will  make them available for sale  at  the Service Centre  at City Hall as of today, BUT, make sure you call  ahead to ensure the kits have arrived, as  the City was advised late last week that the kits were to arrive today, so  it’s best to call ahead 250.561.7600 before heading to City Hall, just to make sure the kits have in fact arrived.

The City plans to closely monitor the sales to  see how fast the units are selling,  and if need be,  will order more units.