Free radon kits available for Central Okanagan residents

The Central Okanagan Regional District is providing free radon test kits to residents.

Working in partnership with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control and Interior Health, the RDCO has approximately 400 test kits available for residents to access.

Radon is an odourless, invisible gas that seeps up from the ground and can cause serious medical issues.

“The Central Okanagan is at high risk for radon, which is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers,” Nancy Mora Castro, Regional Air Quality Program Coordinator, said.

“The only way to know radon levels in a building is by testing, and testing is easy. Take the first step and test your home or workplace to protect your family or employees.”

Anyone interested in accessing a radon test kit must register online through the RDNO’s website. Due to the limited availability, only one kit will be given per household.

The deadline to apply for a test kit is Monday, Nov. 4, and the RDCO will distribute them between Nov. 12 and 19.

Those who receive a test kit will be asked to follow the instructions and complete the minimum 91-day cold season tests. The devices should then be returned to local government offices in February of 2025 so they can be analyzed, with the test results to be sent back to participants in the spring.