Fireplaces and radon

Air quality is a major public health issue, which is why the Ville de Saint-Lambert is taking various measures to address it.

This by-law prohibits the use of wood-burning fireplaces when a smog warning is in effect. Smog days are determined using the Air Quality Index (AQI). When the AQI is greater than 50, wood-burning fireplaces can't be used.

The City will announce when a ban is in effect through its various communication channels. The ban applies until the warning is lifted.

Radon is an odourless gas that is produced by the breakdown of uranium in the Earth's crust. It emanates from the ground and diffuses into the air. Radon enters our lungs with the air we breathe, however it is greatly diluted resulting in concentrations too low to be of concern. But when radon seeps into a house, it tends to accumulate in the lower levels of the home, especially in winter because windows are closed.

A recent study conducted by Health Canada in 15,000 homes across the country shows that one in ten houses in Quebec had a radon problem, meaning the radon concentration exceeded 200 becquerels per cubic metre.