PROJECT ON RADON RADON GAS TESTING IN AREA 1 HOMES MAHSA ATHARI, - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

SFU CITIZEN SCIENTIST PROJECT ON RADON

RADON GAS TESTING IN AREA 1 HOMES

MAHSA ATHARI, BSC PROJECT COORDINATOR WWW.SFU.CA/RADON

OVERVIEW

• Project Aims
• Regions Tested
• Population
• Methods
• Learnings
• Future Direction

PROJECT AIMS

• To increase the number of homes that have tested for

radon gas in Metro Vancouver

• To better understand the variables that influence radon

levels in homes

• To learn about the effectiveness of various outreach

methods

REGION TESTED

A FEW STATS

• Total population in the region:
• North and West Vancouver: 181,000 (2016)
• Sea to Sky Corridor: 42,000 (2015)
• Previous testing by Health Canada: 81 Homes
• Percentage tested above 200 Bq/m3: 2.5%
• Testing done in 2009-2011
• Average number of single-detached homes: 34,000
• Average occupancy per home: 2.4

POPULATION

• Families and staff connected to schools testing through

Vancouver Coastal Health (91)

• General Residents of:
• North Vancouver and West Vancouver (248)
• Sunshine Coast (13)
• Sea to Sky Corridor (35)
• Other (6)
• SFU faculty, staff and students (37)

METHODS

PRE

• Obtained SFU ethics approval prior to launch
• Confidentiality and trust by using University as a platform

DURING

• Co-testing with Vancouver Coastal Health Initiative with schools
• Website and Media coverage (Newspaper, Radio Interviews)
• Presentation at Squamish City Hall
• Word of mouth and community engagement
• Distribution methods

POST

• Collection methods
• Post-Testing survey

VANCOUVER COASTAL HEALTH LETTER TO PARENTS

NEWS ARTICLES

DISTRIBUTION METHODS

THE DEVICE

POST-91 DAYS

List of options for returning kit to be tested

Preferred Method Selected by participant: 1. I will drop off the test kit to one of the researchers at SFU’s Burnaby Campus 2. I will arrange to have a researcher come and collect the test kit from my home 3. I will use the pre-addressed envelope provided to me to ship back the envelope and pay the $15 cost of shipping to Canada Post or a courier

LEARNINGS

• People care about their health and their home
• Collaborating with existing health initiatives
• Media coverage reaches a larger audience
• Credibility of the University
• Organizational structure
• Points of contact
• Prepare for chaos!

FUTURE DIRECTION

• Through additional funding, the project will be extended to

reach greater numbers of participants in the region in Fall 2018.

• Greater emphasis on Whistler and Squamish
• Project report based on findings
• Mitigation efforts post result distribution
• Collaboration with Municipalities towards building code

implementation

THANK YOU