CARST Newsletter - Radon Action Month and Real Estate Testing Update

October 2017

President's Message With Radon Action Month just around the corner, we thought we’d take a moment to talk about a couple of CARST’s current initiatives that you may find helpful. First off is our upcoming webinar on the Tarion Home Warranty.  Although the Tarion program is limited to the province of Ontario, it may be of interest to all CARST members as a model for the type of program that should be available to all Canadians.  In 2013 Tarion clarified that if radon is found in homes in significant amounts, it would be covered by their home warranty coverage.  This means that any home built in the last 7 years will be covered by a Tarion warranty, the cost of a mitigation system will be covered by Tarion if the radon levels in the home are above Health Canada’s reference level.  What better way to approach new (or past) clients than by informing them of advantages they may not even be aware of! Interested in learning more about how the Tarion Home Warranty program relates to radon, and how you can use it to increase your radon business?  Join us for our upcoming webinar: Your Tarion Toolkit.  CARST is pleased to be welcoming Tarion, who will be joining us October 27th at 9:30 am to explain all the ins and outs of their warranty coverage.  We’ll also present customizable material that you can use to approach potential clients, and educate them on how to use Tarion to protect their family’s health. Also upcoming for Radon Action Month: C-NRPP is developing new material about mitigation systems for use in advertisements, Twitter and Facebook posts, etc.  Watch the members only section of our website, where you can download this and other material free of charge. A reminder also about the “Unmasking the Faces of Lung Cancer” campaign.  We introduced this concept in our July newsletter, but we encourage you once again to reach out to anyone who has been touched by lung cancer and let them know about this campaign.  Stories may be contributed online or via email at info@carst.ca. In short, there are plenty of ways to “Take Action” this November! Update on Real Estate Document CARST has been working on a Real Estate Testing Guideline, and as such we have been in discussions with Health Canada and various other groups on what this guideline should look like.  At the 2017 CARST Conference, the draft version of this document was presented and circulated for input.  This document was just a draft and is not a current CARST working document or a C-NRPP guideline or protocol.   We wanted to take this time to update our professionals on the progress of this document.  We have identified some significant changes required, including changes to the language, and are in the process of re-drafting.  We are taking time during this process to ensure that it is a clear, well thought-out document that protects public health and will continue to advocate that homeowners base a decision to mitigate on a long-term test, but will provide some framework for those homeowners who would like a radon screening for a home during a real estate transaction.  We anticipate that we will have a new draft version of the document ready in the next few months. C-NRPP currently has a statement on Short Term Testing.  WANT YOUR AD TO APPEAR HERE? CARST is now adding ads to our Monthly Newsletter.  This is available for a fee, or first two ads are free for our Gold and Silver Members.   Click here to find out more about being a member.

Call to Action: Sign up for October Webinar Collect stories for our Unmasking Lung Cancer Campaign Join a CARST Committee find more information here. Upcoming Events: Introduction to Radon: Complimentary Breakfast Session– several locations, dates and times Webinar: Tarion Toolkit 6th BC Radon Workshop - Collaborative and Innovative Approach to Radon Issues What's Trending: Thunder Bay health unit hopes more radon testing will answer geographic questions CR3 News - Citizen's Radioactive Radon Reduction Rural Thunder Bay residents offered free radon kits TBDHU Invites Residents in Oliver Paipoonge and Marathon to Join Radon Study Nov. 6 Public Information Session on Radon Gas Exposure to Radon Rural Radon Study 2017 Radon and your home: Raising awareness on its presence and ways to remediate How to log-in to your CARST Member Profile? Look for the blue icon on the top right corner. Click it and select, "edit profile". Join us in Ottawa,  April 22-24 2018.

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2017 septembre

Un message du président Septembre a déjà cogné à nos portes avec ses nuits fraîches et le retour à l’école. L’été s’achève et nous nous préparons pour un automne bien productif. Comme nous le savons tous, la saison froide est synonyme de chauffage, et devient ainsi le meilleur moment pour mesurer le radon dans les habitations. Le défi, par contre, reste toujours la sensibilisation au radon et l’augmentation du nombre de mesures. Chaque année, alors qu’arrive la saison de la mesure du radon, nous nous creusons les méninges pour trouver des idées nouvelles et innovantes pour sensibiliser la population. Toutefois, il devient bon de revenir aux bases, et de nous rappeler ce qui a bien fonctionné par le passé et de l’appliquer dans le futur. Comme observer nos différents clients, comprendre ce qui les a motivés à demander une mesure ou une atténuation du radon et à faire appel à leurs pairs. Pour y parvenir, l’ACSTR est heureuse de vous présenter un nouveau webinaire : Créer sa propre campagne de sensibilisation au radon (Build Your Own Radon Awareness Campaign). Notre premier webinaire, qui traitait des réseaux sociaux, a reçu une bonne réponse en août dernier. Notre prochain webinaire vise à vous familiariser quant à la sensibilisation au radon en vous guidant à travers les différentes étapes avec des professionnels qui nous partagent certaines de leurs meilleures idées. À la fin du webinaire, vous aurez déterminé votre clientèle cible, comment la joindre et où trouver les ressources nécessaires pour obtenir de l’aide en chemin. N’attendez plus! Inscrivez-vous au webinaire (en anglais) dès aujourd’hui et commencez la saison des mesures du radon du bon pied.

Événements à venir MESURE DU RADON - MONTREAL SEPTEMBRE ATTÉNUATION DU RADON - SEPTEMBER  Pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur les différents comités de l’ACSTR ou pour vous inscrire en ligne, visitez le site de l’ACSTR. Non seulement aurez-vous la possibilité de contribuer à l’industrie du radon et de travailler avec des professionnels de partout au pays, mais un engagement au sein d’un comité de l’ACSTR compte également comme des crédits de formation continue.

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September 2017

President's Message September 2017  It’s September, and as the nights get cooler and the students return to school, we leave summer behind and gear up for a productive fall season.  As we all know, the heating season is the best time to test for radon.  The challenge, of course, is to promote radon awareness and increase testing. Each year, as the radon testing season comes around, we find ourselves brainstorming new and improved promotion ideas.  However, sometimes it’s best to return to the basics.  To remember what has worked in the past and apply it to the future.  To look at our client base, understand what motivated them to test or mitigate, and reach out to their peers. To this end, CARST is pleased to offer a new webinar: Build Your Own Radon Awareness Campaign.  Our inaugural webinar dealt with social media, and met with good success this past August.  With our next webinar, we aim to take the mystery out of radon promotion by walking through the process step by step with professionals sharing some of their successful ideas. By the end of the webinar, you should have identified who your target audience is, how to reach them, and where to find the necessary resources to help you on the way.  So why wait?  Sign up for the webinartoday, and start this testing season off on the right foot.  Psst… Been to the CARST website lately? We’re sporting a fresh new look!  We’ve taken your feedback to heart to create a site that’s easier to navigate and contains more resources than ever; both for CARST members and for all Canadians.  Our homeowners’ pages aim to take the mystery out of radon and steer citizens to our C-NRPP professionals to test and mitigate their homes.  With links to government publications, radon in the news, videos and more; we really are Canada’s Radon Authority. Are you getting the most out of your membership? Login to our members-only section to access a variety of tools and resources designed to help you run and expand your radon business.  While you’re there, take a moment to update your member profile, which now includes space to list your additional qualifications to increase networking opportunities.  As ever, CARST’s strength lies in our members, and our diversity adds to our strength.   WANT YOUR AD TO APPEAR HERE? CARST is now adding ads to our Monthly Newsletter.  This is available for a fee, or first two ads are free for our Gold and Silver Members.   Click here to find out more about being a member.

Call to Action: Sign up for September Webinar Check out the new CARST website; give feedback to CARST office Log in to your CARST member profile and update Language and Skills and update it Watch for an email announcement of the 2018 CARST Conference  Upcoming Events: BUILD YOUR OWN RADON AWARENESS CAMPAIGN WEBINAR AARST INTERNATIONAL RADON SYMPOSIUM MANAGING RADON RISK IN ALBERTA COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS C-NRPP MEASUREMENT COURSE - Winnipeg C-NRPP MITIGATION COURSE - Winnipeg What's Trending: CR3 News - Citizen's Radioactive Radon Reduction For additional information on the various CARST committees or to sign up online, please visit the CARST website.  (In CARSTs Members Section) Not only will you have a chance to contribute to the radon industry and work with professionals from across the country, but involvement in the CARST committees also counts toward your C-NRPP Professional Practice credits. How to log-in to your CARST Member Profile? Look for the blue icon on the top right corner.  Click it and select, "edit profile".

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CARST Newsletter August 2017  President's Message August 2017 Newsletter: Unmasking the Faces of Lung Cancer Lack of public awareness is an all-too familiar challenge to all of us in the radon industry.  We’ve come a long way in the last 10 years, but to a great extent the general public is still by and large unaware of radon and the associated health risks.  It can be hard to answer the question “What’s radon?” over and over and not feel as though we’re running a single-handed public awareness campaign on top of running our radon businesses. However, for all our frustrations, there is another group of people who are even more keenly aware of the dangers of radon than we are.  Many of us have met these people in the course of our work; lung cancer victims, lung cancer survivors, and their loved ones.  As radon professionals, we all know the dangers posed by radon.  We know the statistics by heart and quote them frequently.  For those affected by lung cancer, the dangers of radon are more than statistics; they’re real, and they’re personal. For your average Canadian, “lung cancer” probably brings to mind the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke.  Too few Canadians are aware that radon follows smoking as the second-leading cause of lung cancer, and that radon and smoking combined pose an even higher risk.  There can be no stronger advocates for radon awareness than those who have battled radon-induced lung cancer and survived.  With that in mind, CARST is pleased to be launching a new public awareness campaign; Unmasking the Faces of Lung Cancer. The goal of this campaign is to give those affected by lung cancer a voice, and in turn, give a face (in fact, many faces) to the dangers that most of us know only as statistics. For this project to succeed, CARST needs your help.  Have you met a lung cancer survivor in the course of your work?  Do you know someone who’s had their home tested or mitigated after a lung cancer diagnosis?  The project is a simple one: each participant will be asked to answer a short questionnaire, and submit a photo of themselves as one of the many faces of lung cancer.  Those who are interested may also be interviewed on camera to create a video. Each person who shares their story will help to gradually unmask the true face of lung cancer.  From those who “never smoked a day in their lives”, to those for whom years of smoking combined with high radon exposure proved deadly.  Victims, survivors, family members; each story becomes part of the bigger picture. The success of this campaign depends on your involvement.  Here is a link, to a short list of interview questions we’ve put together. Unmasking the Faces of Lung Cancer v3.pdf We encourage you to reach out to any contacts you may have either directly or by forwarding them our contact information.   They can email us a picture and the answers to the questions or they can enter the answers online on our website here. Finally, just in case you’re in the mood for some summer shopping, CARST has negotiated a special deal with HILTI, see details below in the Membership Discount. Wishing all CARST members some nice summer weather, and some well-deserved R&R.  Membership Discount: We have been able to negotiate a discount for CARST Members.  HILTI is giving us tremendous deals on some of their latest products: A Transporter PX 10 which precisely detects the exact entry or exit point before drilling a hole at any angle on a wall, floor or ceiling. It will also easily determine the drill bit length. This retails for $1049 Discount price is $650. A Diamond Coring Motor DD-150-U which is a versatile drilling apparatus. Retail price is $3449 Discount price is $2148. The Multidetector PS 50 which is a detector that can be used to instantly find rebar, metal or plastic pipes, live wire and wood, embedded in structures made of various base materials. Retail price is $1989 Discount price is $1200 The final option present is DD 150 HCS long life core bit. Retail price is $697, Discount price is $595.83. To take advantage of these offers, email: Juan.Valle@hilti.com and he will contact you with your local HILTI rep.    C-NRPP Update: In April, C- NRPP gathered data from our professionals through our Mitigation Survey.  We found that of our respondents, 76% of the radon mitigations conducted are using Sub-Slab Depressurization, and 18 % are using Sump Pit Depressurization.  Also, from the radon data provided we can see that sub-slab depressurization continues to be the most effective radon mitigation method. We are continuing to gather information for our mitigation survey.  If you haven’t participated yet, you can complete the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6Z3K7FR,  If you are willing to share information on your mitigations for C-NRPP Research, you can use the Excel Spreadsheet to input your information and email it to: info@c-nrpp.ca.  This will provide you with 3 Professional Practice Credits. Mitigation Information.xlsx   Call to Action: Sign up for our Social Media Webinar August 23 Start thinking about ideas for radon awareness in November 2017 - Radon Action Month C-NRPP Mitigation professionals complete the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6Z3K7FR,  Upcoming Events: C-NRPP Measurement Course C-NRPP Mitigation Course Social Media Webinar AARST International Radon Symposium What's Trending: There was no clue: Woman certain radon found in basement caused her lung cancer Radon gas: The invisible killer lurking in Canadian building Is there too much radon in your home? Only 6 per cent of Canadians test for dangerous gas  What you should know about radon gas Radon monitoring in Yukon schools For additional information on the various CARST committees or to sign up online, please visit the CARST website.  Not only will you have a chance to contribute to the radon industry and work with professionals from across the country, but involvement in the CARST committees also counts toward your C-NRPP Professional Practice credits. HAPPY 150th CANADA So proud to be a Canadian organization working for you. CARST Admin Office:204-798-9649                          www.carst.ca                 e:info@carst.ca Facebook • Twitter Unsubscribe

 

ACSTR/CARST Bulletin  2017 Août Un message du président Bulletin de Août 2017 : Démasquer les visages du cancer du poumon La sensibilisation du public présente des lacunes et constitue un défi bien familier pour nous, les professionnels de l’industrie du radon. Nous en avons parcouru du chemin au cours des dix dernières années, mais de manière générale, la population reste encore largement non informée sur le radon et les risques de santé qui y sont associés. Il s’avère difficile de répondre sans cesse à la question « Qu’est-ce que le radon? » sans avoir l’impression que nous menons en solitaire une campagne de sensibilisation du public en plus de mener nos propres projets relatifs au radon. Toutefois, malgré toutes nos frustrations, nous devons nous rappeler qu’un certain groupe de personnes est particulièrement au courant des dangers du radon. Nombre d’entre nous en avons rencontré en raison de notre travail : les victimes du cancer du poumon, les survivants et leurs proches. En tant que professionnels du radon, nous connaissons les dangers liés au radon. Nous connaissons les statistiques par cœur et nous les citons fréquemment. Pour les gens touchés par le cancer du poumon, les dangers liés au radon constituent plus que des statistiques : ils sont réels et ils les vivent. La plupart des Canadiennes et Canadiens diront que le cancer du poumon est principalement causé par le tabagisme et la fumée secondaire. Peu de nos concitoyens savent que le radon suit le tabagisme en deuxième position des causes du cancer du poumon, et qu’ensemble, le radon et le tabagisme constituent un risque encore plus élevé. Personne ne peut présenter les risques liés au radon mieux que ceux qui se sont battus contre un cancer du poumon causé par le radon et qui ont survécu. C’est pourquoi l’ACSTR est heureuse de lancer sa nouvelle campagne de sensibilisation Démasquer les visages du cancer du poumon. Cette campagne vise à donner une voix aux gens touchés par le cancer du poumon causé par le radon, et en retour, à mettre un visage (plusieurs visages, en fait) sur les dangers que la plupart ne connaissent qu’en statistiques. L’ACSTR demande votre aide pour la réussite de ce projet. Avez-vous rencontré un survivant du cancer du poumon dans le cadre de votre travail? Connaissez-vous une personne qui a fait tester sa maison ou qui a demandé une atténuation du radon après un diagnostic de cancer du poumon? Ce projet est simple : chaque participant(e) devra répondre à un court questionnaire et envoyer une photo le ou la représentant comme étant l’un des nombreux visages du cancer du poumon. Les participants qui le souhaitent peuvent également donner une entrevue filmée pour créer une vidéo. Chaque personne qui partagera son histoire aidera à démasquer progressivement les vrais visages du cancer du poumon. Pour les gens qui n’ont jamais fumé une cigarette de leur vie à ceux dont les années de tabagisme combinées à une exposition à un niveau élevé de radon se sont avérées fatales. Victimes, survivants, proches; chaque histoire s’inscrit dans une vue d’ensemble. Le succès de cette campagne dépend de votre participation.  Voici un lien, Démasquer les visages du cancer du poumon Projet de sensibilisation au radon.docm vers une courte liste de questions d’entrevue que nous avons préparée.  Nous vous encourageons à communiquer avec vos contacts directement ou en leur transférant nos coordonnées pour nous joindre.  Ils peuvent nous envoyer leur photo et les réponses au questionnaire par courriel, ou encore inscrire leurs réponses dans le questionnaire en ligne sur notre site Web ici. Pour terminer, si vous avez une envie de magasinage estival, l’ACSTR a négocié un prix spécial avec le manufacturier HILTI. Consultez les détails ci-dessous concernant un rabais pour les membres. Nous souhaitons à tous les membres de l’ACSTR de bien profiter de la chaleur estivale et de bien se reposer.   Rabais pour les membres Nous avons pu négocier un rabais pour les membres de l’ACSTR. HILTI nous offre d’incroyables aubaines sur certains de leurs plus récents produits. Le Transpointeur  PX 10 détecte avec précision le point d’entrée ou de sortie avant de percer un trou à n’importe quel angle dans le mur, le plancher ou le plafond. Il calcule également facilement la longueur de la mèche. Prix de détail : 1049 $ Prix pour les membres : 650 $ L’outil de forage au diamant DD 150-U est un appareil de forage polyvalent.         Prix de détail : 3449 $ Prix pour les membres : 2148 $ Le Multidétecteur PS 50 est un détecteur tout usage qui sert à repérer instantanément les barres d’armature, les tuyaux de plastique ou métalliques, les câbles sous tension et le bois encastrés dans les structures faites de matériaux supports variés.     Prix de détail : 1989 $ Prix pour les membres : 1200 $ Le dernier produit offert est la couronne de forage diamant DD 150 HCS.  Prix pour de détail : 697 $ Prix pour les membres : 595,83 $   Des nouvelles du PNCR-C : En avril, le PNCR-R a recueilli des données de nos professionnels par l’intermédiaire de notre évaluation sur l’atténuation du radon. Il s’avère que parmi nos répondants, 76% d’entre eux mènent les atténuations du radon avec une dépressurisation du sol sous la dalle, et 18% utilisent la dépressurisation à l'aide d'un puisard. De plus, grâce aux données amassées, nous pouvons constater que la dépressurisation du sol sous la dalle reste la méthode d’atténuation du radon la plus efficace. Nous continuons la cueillette de données pour notre évaluation sur l’atténuation. Si vous n’avez pas encore participé, vous pouvez remplir le sondage ici. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6Z3K7FR Si vous voulez partager des données sur vos atténuations pour les recherches du PNCR-C, vous pouvez utiliser la feuille de calcul Excel pour entrer vos données et l’envoyer par courriel à info@c-nrpp.ca. Mitigation Information.xlsx   Pour obtenir plus de renseignements sur les différents comités de l’ACSTR ou pour vous inscrire en ligne, visitez le site de l’ACSTR. Non seulement aurez-vous la possibilité de contribuer à l’industrie du radon et de travailler avec des professionnels de partout au pays, mais un engagement au sein d’un comité de l’ACSTR compte également comme des crédits de formation continue.   ACSTR/CARST               www.carst.ca                 e:info@carst.ca Facebook • Twitter Unsubscribe

President's Message As CARST grows and matures we having been re-analyzing why we exist, who our members are, and how best to support those members.    Our vision is to be the authoritative voice on radon in Canada and help Canadians reduce radon risk in their home, workplace and public environment by promoting public awareness, and supporting the transfer of radon information for the benefit of members, consumers and public at large. This summer, CARST and C-NRPP are pleased to be announcing a new level of partnership: as of July, all certified C-NRPP professionals will become members of CARST.  Joining forces with CARST will allow C-NRPP professionals to: Benefit from CARST’s nation-wide partnerships and professional support programs Clear up confusion on what is CARST and what is C-NRPP Obtain preferred membership rates Acquire increased access to the annual CARST conference, continuing education courses, and a growing number of webinars.   Bringing over 200 radon professionals into the fold means that the CARST community will grow that much stronger, allowing for greater sharing of ideas, resources and research.  The increased membership numbers will help CARST continue to grow and develop new initiatives to support all radon professionals. A simplified renewal process for both C-NRPP professionals and CARST members will make it easier for all members to stay up-to-date on their membership status,and not risk having their membership lapse unintentionally.  The membership fee structure has been revised with new membership packages available to help companies of all sizes find the membership package that works for them.   The CARST administrative team will be contacting all members throughout the next few months, as the changes are implemented to explain how the new membership packages will work best for you. The  CARST website is being revamped (target launch date August 15) with a more modern feel and clearer, quicker access to the information and resources that both professionals and homeowners need. The  Members-Only section is home to a growing number of CARST proprietary resources such guidance documents, the radon map, fan comparison document, and a more detailed members list.  Additional resources are being added as CARST continues to build partnerships with other health organizations across the county.  Partnerships with other industry associations will also allow for new opportunities. The strength of CARST has always been its members. This continues to be true.  While the Canadian radon industry may not be large, it is a tight-knit community made up of dedicated individuals who are devoted to a common cause.  As CARST moves forward to meet the evolving needs of the radon industry and the general public, the unification of all Canadian radon professionals is key in solidifying our position as the radon authority in Canada. CARST Announces  New Membership Structure: Individual Membership - $300 Corporate Membership - $500 Certified C-NRPP Member - $75 per year  (in addition to $100 per year certification fee) Researcher/Student - $50 per year Silver Membership - $1 500 Gold Membership - $2 500   Call to Action: Sign up for our Social Media Webinar August 23 Start thinking about ideas for radon awareness in November 2017 - Radon Action Month C-NRPP Update: C-NRPP wants to remind professionals about the current practices for short-term testing.  Details can be found in the C-NRPP Communication Brief on Short Term Testing.   Reminder that only devices on the C-NRPP list are approved for short-term testing in Canada. The C-NRPP list can be found here. Upcoming Events: Interactive Radon Workshop C-NRPP Measurement Course C-NRPP Mitigation Course Social Media Webinar What's Trending: find more... Nearly 1 in 2 Canadians expected to get Cancer 2017 Canadian Cancer Stats Lung Association of Saskatchewan office in Regina to close Responding to high radon levels in schools – the need for good communication Students return to Kanata school after radon concern Deadline looming for radon testing in Port Hope Parents question high radon levels at Ottawa school Citizens For Radioactive Radon Reduction (CRRR) on RADON & HEALTH CARE A Three-Year Battle with Radon For additional information on the various CARST committees or to sign up online, please visit the CARST website.  Not only will you have a chance to contribute to the radon industry and work with professionals from across the country, but involvement in the CARST committees also counts toward your C-NRPP Professional Practice credits. HAPPY 150th CANADA Enjoy the Canada Day weekend and celebrating 150 years of history.  So proud to be a Canadian organization working for you. CARST Admin Office: 204-798-9649                                                      e:info@carst.ca Facebook • Twitter

Un autre congrès terminé! Les participants de cette année pourront le confirmer, le congrès 2017 de l’ACSTR s’est avéré un succès retentissant! C’est avec l’idée de solutions pratiques bien ancrée dans nos esprits que nous avons commencé le congrès avec une expérience pratique qui consistait en une sortie d’une journée sur le terrain le samedi. Ce nouvel ajout au congrès s’est révélé très populaire. Tellement que les places avaient toutes été réservées bien avant l’événement (prenez-en note pour l’an prochain!). Malgré les époustouflants panoramas de Banff qui captivait le regard de tous les participants, les cours de formation continue du dimanche n’ont pas du tout été délaissés. Au contraire, les participants étaient présents et motivés, si bien que nous avons parfois même manqué de chaises!

Le lundi, nous avons vu avec un grand plaisir le président de l’ACSTR, Alan Whitehead, remettre le tout premier prix Reconnaissance Arthur G. Scott au Dr Dana Schmidt pour son travail à Castelgar, en Colombie-Britannique. Après le décès de sa femme en 2009, morte d’un cancer des poumons provoqué par le radon, le Dr Schmidt et son fils ont créé la Donna Schmidt Cancer Prevention Society, avec comme mission de réduire les cas de cancers des poumons provoqués par une exposition au radon à la maison et au travail, et ce, partout dans la région. Le Dr Schmidt est un militant et activiste passionné dans la lutte contre le radon, et a convaincu avec succès son conseil municipal d’apporter des modifications au Code du bâtiment. Ces modifications sont ensuite devenues des mesures de prévention du radon dans le Code du bâtiment provincial de la Colombie-Britannique. C’est pour nous un honneur de reconnaître le travail du Dr Schmidt et de lui remettre le tout premier prix Reconnaissance Arthur G. Scott.

Autre nouveauté cette année, les Olympiques du radon! Cette activité très divertissante nous a permis de suivre quatre équipes de concurrents qui ont tout donné dans des compétitions qui allaient des jeux-questionnaires sur le radon à la coupe de tuyaux, en passant par le nettoyage de fosses de succion, le tout animé en grand par les commentaires de Bill Rounds et Mike Holmes Jr.  Une compétition intense, mais amicale, dont nous sommes tous sortis gagnants au final, puisque les événements nous ont fait bondir de nos chaises tant nous voulions plonger dans l’action.

Revenons aux choses sérieuses! L’Assemblée générale annuelle s’est tenue le mardi 25 avril.  Le procès-verbal de l’Assemblée est accessible dans la section des membres du site de l’ACSTR.  Les élections du Conseil d’administration ont permis la réélection d’Alan Whitehead et de Rob Mahoney, ainsi que l’élection de Bruce Decker et Mark Donohue.  Nous souhaitons la bienvenue à Bruce et Mark au sein du Conseil et nous remercions ceux et celles qui ont pris le temps de voter.

Enfin, l’ACSTR a le plaisir de vous annoncer que Pam Warkentin occupe maintenant le poste de directrice exécutive. Puisque l’ACSTR continue de croître et d’évoluer, ce nouveau poste reflète mieux ses tâches et responsabilités. Pour lui offrir un soutien quant aux tâches administratives, Erin Curry a été nommée adjointe administrative. Erin est inspectrice en bâtiment, membre de l’ACSTR et habite près de Montréal, au Québec. En collaboration avec le Conseil d’administration et d’autres comités bien dévoués à la cause, l’équipe administrative déploie un maximum d’efforts pour soutenir l’ACSTR dans l’atteinte de ses buts, tout en améliorant les services et en augmentant les avantages de l’adhésion.

 

Plus de photos ici...

 Retrouvez les présentations ici....

Another conference is behind us, and as those of you who attended this year can attest, CARST 2017 was a resounding success! With the theme of Practical Solutions firmly in mind, this year’s conference began with hands-on experience during the day-long field trip on Saturday. This new addition to the conference was very popular, and sold out well in advance (heads-up for next year).   Despite the beautiful scenery of Banff vying for everyone’s attention, the continuing education courses on Sunday were well-attended and engaging; in some cases we even ran out of chairs!

On Monday it was with great pleasure that CARST President Alan Whitehead presented the inaugural Arthur G. Scott Achievement Award to Dr. Dana Schmidt for his work in Castelgar, British Columbia. After losing his wife to radon-induced lung cancer in 2009, Dr. Schmidt and his son established the Donna Schmidt Cancer Prevention Society, with the mission to reduce lung cancer from home and workplace radon exposure throughout the region.  Dr. Schmidt is a passionate radon advocate and activist, and has successfully lobbied his local council to make changes to the building code.  These changes eventually resulted in radon prevention measures being introduced into the provincial building code in British Columbia.  It is an honour to congratulate Dr. Schmidt on his work, and present him with the first Arthur G. Scott Achievement Award.   

Another new addition to this year’s conference was the Radon Olympics!  This highly entertaining event saw participants form 4 teams to compete in everything from radon trivia to cutting pipe and clearing suction pits, with commentators Bill Rounds and Mike Holmes Jr. broadcasting the action.  The competition was intense but friendly, and ultimately we all came away winners as the events got us out of our seats and into the action.

On a more serious note, the Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday, April 25.  The minutes from the meeting are available in the Members section of the CARST website.  The results of the Board of Directors Election are as follows: both Alan Whitehead and Rob Mahoney were re-elected, and Bruce Decker and Mark Donohue have been added as new members of the board.  A warm welcome to both Bruce and Mark, and a thank you to all those members who took the time to vote.

Finally, CARST is pleased to announce that Pam Warkentin has now moved into the role of Executive Director.  As CARST continues to grow and evolve, this new position better reflects her tasks and responsibilities.   Joining her to offer administrative support as Executive Assistant is Erin Curry.  Erin is a home inspector and CARST member based near Montreal, Quebec.  Together with the Board of Directors and various devoted committees, the administrative team is working hard to help CARST achieve our goals, all the while improving our services and increasing membership value.

    

Find more photos here.

Find copies of conference presentations here.

CARST/ACSTR & Lung Association-Ontario Urges Wynne Government To Protect Residential

Tenants/Homeowners Lungs

Protect residential homeowners and tenants from the dangers of radon

Toronto- Now that the Ontario government is making housing more affordable, let’s make sure it’s safe. There is an invisible, radioactive gas which, according to Public Health Ontario, is linked to almost 850 deaths in Ontario per year.  It’s not expensive to test, not expensive to fix, but action is needed.  Radon gas needs to be included in these discussions of housing in Ontario.

We have put a lot of effort into educating homeowners to test their homes and reduce their radon exposures, however not all Canadians are homeowners, and including radon testing as a requirement for landlords is an essential step in ensuring health equity when it comes to reducing radon risk and ensuring radon control measures are included in the building code will further reduce the future cost of reducing levels in all homes.    

"People work hard to provide for their families. They should be able to rent or enter the real estate market without making great sacrifices or taking on a huge amount of risk. At the same time, we recognize the need to protect the significant investment homeowners have made. This plan balances those needs to stabilize the market and prevent a sharp correction that would be harmful to everyone."
 — Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario

 

Research conducted by Public Health Ontario researchers stated that 847 lung cancer deaths a year are attributable to radon. (Lung cancer risk from radon in Ontario, Canada: how many lung cancers can we prevent? August 2013) The researchers concluded that, “interventions that install effective radon-preventive measures into buildings at build may be a good alternative population prevention strategy to testing and remediation,” and “testing and remediation may also prevent a portion of radon-related lung cancer deaths.”

“After listening to Virginia’s story-[below]- and knowing about the dangers of radon, we are highlighting the need for the Wynne Government to include in any Residential Tenancies’ Act or housing review, action concerning two policy options already on the table today to help protect Ontarians from the dangers of radon,” said Alan Whitehead, President and CEO, Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST/ACSTR).

Ensuring Health Equity with Radon Risk Reduction needs to include changes in:

1.  Residential Tenancies Act - Mandating ground contact units be tested for radon, protecting Ontario tenants.

2. Building Code Amendments - Making changes to the building code to better protect home owners from the dangers of radon.

“We know government wants to do the right thing, so we urge them to make sure that people like Virginia are protected from the dangers of radon,” said Alan Whitehead. “These two opportunities to save lives and protect Ontarians’ lung health are already on the table. What is needed now is leadership; leadership to bring these options to life through legislation and/or regulations.”

You have probably heard the old saying “She/he has lung cancer? How is that possible? They never smoked a day in their life.”  This describes Virginia.  She is a non-smoker who gets enough exercise and has done everything right with respect to her lung health. The last thing she expected was to hear from her doctor that she had lung cancer.

Please take a minute to listen to her tell her story in this short video.

Virginia’s Story You Tube

About CARST:

With a vision to help Canadians reduce radon risk in their home, workplace and public environment. CARST’s mission is to be the authoritative voice on radon information in Canada by bringing together individuals and organizations who recognize the need and are driven to help Canadians with reducing their radon exposure and preventing lung cancer from radon. 

Contact:                                 

CARST President,                        Ontario Lung Association                   Public Health Ontario

Alan Whitehead                             Chris Yaccato                                            Dr. Ray Copes

Ph: 778-829-5750                          Ph: 416-303-4589                                   Ph: 647-260-7491

Email: a_whitehead@carst.ca     Email: CYaccato@on.lung.ca               Email: Ray.Copes@oahpp.ca

www.carst.ca                                  www.on.lung.ca                                       www.publichealthontario.ca

Backgrounder and facts:

1. Radon enters buildings through contact with the ground.  In our well-sealed buildings it enters faster than it escapes, resulting in elevated levels and an increased health risk.  Any building has the potential for elevated radon levels including workplaces, schools, daycares and homes.

2. Additionally, Health Canada warns that the risk to smokers is higher.  Combined effects of smoking and high radon levels can mean a smoker’s risk of developing lung cancer increases from 12% to 33%.

3. Public Health Ontario confirms that Radon is an important contributor to lung cancer deaths in Ontario, and installing effective radon-preventative measures into buildings may be a good alternative population prevention strategy and testing and remediation may also prevent a portion of radon-related lung cancer deaths.

4. Radon, as we have learned from TV stars Mike Holmes Sr. and Mike Holmes Jr. through their public service announcements, is an odourless and colourless radioactive gas that attacks our lung tissue.  This can and does lead to lung cancer.

Resources:

Health Canada, Radon Fact Sheet for Ontario

Public Health Ontario Infograph on Radon

Lung cancer risk from radon in Ontario, Canada: how many lung cancers can we prevent? August 2013, Peterson E, Aker A, Kim J, Li Y, Brand K, Copes R

A quick reminder about the radon conference coming up next week. 

 

This is a great chance to take advantage of the conference to get ready for Radon Action 2017!

Here is a sneak peak at the conference program.

Why go to a radon conference?

• Get your C-NRPP Professional Practice Credits - here is the schedule
  
• Find out new research on radon in Canada
  
• Connect with others in the business and people working in radon outreach
  
• Learn new tricks of the trade
  
• Understand aspects about radon, radon measurement, radon mitigation and radon awareness that you hadn’t thought of before
  
• Get re-energized for the daily work