High levels of radon gas tested at P.E.I. school

Health Canada is urging Canadians to check their homes for radon, a radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the ground and can leak into homes through foundation cracks or gaps around pipes. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Students at a Prince Edward Island school have been banned from the basement of the building after tests confirmed high levels of radon gas.

Officials say four classes at Souris Consolidated School will continue their studies in other parts of the building for now.

Radon is a colourless and odourless gas that seeps up through the soil and enters a building through cracks in the foundation.

It’s not harmful in small doses, but long-term exposure has been linked to serious health problems.

It is the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking.

The school measured a score of 211, which is just above the acceptable limit of 200.