Chinook Arch libraries join Radon Screening Program
By Lethbridge Herald on November 25, 2020.
Chinook Arch is the latest library system to partner with The Lung Association for the Radon Screening Program, aimed at increasing awareness and encouraging the public to screen their home.
“We are pleased to offer this free kit to library patrons in southwest Alberta to learn more about and screen for radon,” said Lisa Weekes, Manager of Partnerships and Community Development for Chinook Arch, in a news release. “Our libraries are committed to offering a wide variety of resources to our communities. We are excited about this partnership that will allow anyone to screen radon levels in their homes.”
Radon is an invisible, odourless gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in the ground and can build up in homes undetected. Long-term exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Recent research from the University of Calgary indicated that one in six homes in Western Canada have high radon levels.
“Knowing your home’s radon level is the first step in determining if you and your family are at risk. November is Radon Action Month and we are proud to partner with Chinook Arch to provide southwest Albertans with free radon screening kits.” Leigh Allard, president and CEO, The Lung Association, Alberta and Northwest Territories, said in the news release.
The radon kits will be located at 18 Chinook Arch library locations, but can be placed on hold and checked out from any Chinook Arch library. The kits are for initial screening only. Chinook Arch and The Lung Association ask that once someone has borrowed and used the kit, to return it, along with a completed survey (included in the kit when you check it out). This helps to continually improve the Radon Screening Program in the future.
Holds can be placed on the kits between Oct. 1 and May 1 each year. To place a hold, visit http://www.chinookarch.ca and type Radon Screening Program Kit into the search bar.
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