Mandatory Radon Testing and Mitigation of Businesses in Alberta

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dc.contributor.advisorShaffer, Blake
dc.contributor.authorKursaeva, Mariia
dc.date.accessioned2023-12-08T23:30:53Z
dc.date.available2023-12-08T23:30:53Z
dc.date.issued2023-05-29
dc.description.abstractThis paper investigates the need for mandatory radon testing and mitigation measures in workplaces in Alberta. Radon, an odourless and colourless radioactive gas arising naturally from soil, has been linked to lung cancer. Despite alarming statistics, most businesses in Alberta are not required to conduct radon testing. The paper conducts a cost-benefit analysis within a 25-year timeframe to evaluate the implementation of mandatory radon testing and mitigation measures in workplace settings in Alberta. The paper highlights that the lack of mandatory radon testing in businesses poses a significant and avoidable health risk. By focusing on occupational radon exposure and drawing on the precedent set by mandatory testing in childcare facilities, the paper proposes a feasible solution to mitigate radon-induced health hazards in workplaces. The paper analyzes two alternatives: the status quo, where testing is voluntary, and mandatory testing for all registered businesses. It examines costs and benefits, including healthcare expenses and the value of statistical life. The analysis concludes that the mandatory testing scenario demonstrates cost reductions under both three percent and eight percent discount rates. The adoption of this approach could yield significant savings, estimated at eight to seventeen billion dollars over the next twenty-five years. The paper acknowledges assumptions and limitations but ultimately recommends that the government enforce mandatory radon testing and mitigation, safeguarding public health and ameliorating financial implications for Alberta.
dc.identifier.citationKursaeva, M. (2023). Mandatory Radon Testing and Mitigation of Businesses in Alberta (Unpublished master's project). University of Calgary, Calgary, AB.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1880/117692
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisher.departmentSchool of Public Policy
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Graduate Studies
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.titleMandatory Radon Testing and Mitigation of Businesses in Alberta
dc.typereport
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Public Policy
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