Castlegar to consider radon testing bylaw

TheCity of Castlegar may be the first in B.C. to force builders to test for radon,an odourless, colourless radioactive gas that has beenlinked to lung cancer.

Ifelevated levels of the radioactive gas are found, builders wouldhave to find ways to reduce the gas from seeping into the home.

Since Dana Schmidt's wife died of lung cancersuspected to be from radon,he's been on a mission toprevent others from suffering the same fate.

"Watching someone die from lung cancer over three and a half monthsis an eye-opener," said Schmidt, "I was a radon skeptic before that."

The West Kootenay regionis ahot spot for radon gas becauseofconcentrations of other radioactive elements in the region's rock and soil such as uranium and radium that decay andrelease the gas.

That is why Schmidt wants Castlegar to adopt a bylaw forcingbuilders of new homes to test for radon.

If the Castlegar bylaw passes,theprovincial government would have to change the B.C. Building Code.

Coun. Deb McIntosh says she can't envision the B.C.governmentsaying no,considering the level ofconcern in her city.

"To me [it] is a no brainer," said McIntosh.

"I think we owe it to the people who are going to build here or move here because we care about people."