A panel of experts has recommended a vast reduction in the level of radon gas that is considered acceptable in homes and schools in Canada, according to a report in The Globe and Mail.

The advisory panel, comprised mostly of experts from Health Canada, as well as their provincial counterparts, recommends the government lower acceptable standards by 75 per cent.

Canada's standards are currently some of the most lax in the world -- less stringent, even, than in some developing nations, according to the report to the federal and provincial governments. .

The panel claims that radon gas -- which is caused by the decay of uranium -- is responsible for 10 per cent of all lung cancer deaths, second only to deaths caused by tobacco smoke.

The gas is a colourless and odourless radioactive gas. It often finds its way into the basements of houses and schools through cracks in foundations, or holes drilled for plumbing.

Canada's current standard permits 800 becquerels per cubic metre of air. A becquerel is the unit used to measure radon gas content in the air.

The advisory panel wants the standard dropped to 200 becquerels per cubic metre to match the standards of other nations such as Britain, Sweden and Norway.

China is applying the same standard to new construction projects.

The panel estimates that about 175,000 homes are currently above the panel's target guidelines, and homeowners are advised to take action to lower levels in their own homes.

This is commonly done through the installation of ventilation systems, or by sealing cracks and gaps in concrete foundations.

As many as 450 schools and 20 hospitals across Canada are above the panel's recommended levels. That would cost about $560 million to fix.

According to information provided by the Port Hope Low-level Radioactive Waste Management Office in Ontario, radon exists almost everywhere in the environment "from the decay of natural, radioactive elements in the earth."

Port Hope is dealing with the presence of radon gas as part of the Port Hope Area Initiative. The project includes the cleanup and management of low-level radioactive waste left over from radium and uranium refining activities that occurred between 1932 and 1988.

"Although radon gas concentration is low in the open air, it can be substantial in confined spaces such as unventilated basements. Radon in buildings can originate from the soil beneath foundations and building materials such as stone," reads the question and answer brochure provided by the LLRWMO.

The Municipality of Port Hope also provides detailed records of testing results in Port Hope homes to prospective homeowners.

That kind of information isn't currently available in most of Canada, though health authorities are working on creating a map of the country that would highlight areas with the highest risk of radon exposure.

The map is expected to be ready within one or two years.

The panel's proposal will be open for public comment until June 22. After that, it will go to the country's health authorities, who will consider adopting its recommendations.