http://www.care2.com/greenliving/granite-countertops-are-radon-hot.html
Granite Countertops are Radon Hot
I knew it! OK, I didn’t really know it in the sense of knowing it. But I definitely knew there was something really bad about granite and now I know what.
You might remember a previous blog I wrote about granite kitchen and bathroom countertops, the gist of which was basically that they don’t rock. My main points were that they are a completely non-renewable resource and that mining is detrimental to the Earth. But underlying this point was a feeling that perhaps this granite craze could reap some karmic retribution.
And as you might know, granite is very popular. Apparently, everyone loves it, wants it, has got to have it. I can do without it, myself, thank you very much. I am even known to rant about it on occasion. So this morning, I find this story from the New York Times in my e-mail box: What’s Lurking in Your Countertops?
Ah-ha! Apparently, according to this NYT article, some granite countertops have been found to contain high levels of uranium, which is not only radioactive but releases radon gas as it decays.
In the past 10 years, as granite has gotten more and more trendy, demand has increased tenfold and to keep up with this demand there are 10 times as many kinds of granite available. The article says that with increased sales volume and variety, there have been more reports of “hot” or potentially hazardous countertops.
So not all granite countertops are dangerous, according to radiation expert Stanley Liebert. “But I’ve seen a few that might heat up your Cheerios a little,” he adds.
I don’t know about you, but I prefer my morning cereal nice and chilly. And I prefer my countertops made of renewable resources that aren’t radioactive. Bamboo, recycled glass or aluminum tiles–it’s all good. And it’s not radioactive. Healthy, and green. That’s what it’s all about.
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add your comment »Theres more radon in the air we breath and water we drink, than what you'd ever find eminating from a thin slab of rock. Theres even way more in sheetrock and your concrete that can escape into your house air. Get a good air purifier at ionicairsystems.com and air out your house often
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Once a piece of granite or stone exposed to a large amount of uranium rich mineral in the ground is removed from the source and exposed to air, the radon vapor transmission would weaken drastically and then dissipate. Once the stone is removed from the source ( the earth ) the stone has no radon to filter through it. The amount of radon that escapes from the soil depends on weather,soil moisture,soil porosity and suction within the house. Radon gas is also exposed to well-water, so if you have a well think about it the next time your taking a shower, not only but radon has a life cycle of 3.8 days- do the math by the time it reaches a home? Have you researched whats in your drinking water? Fluoride? All the health factors with fluoride is way more than radon - and were drinking that water. Have you done all the research? Try it out and check out floride as well. With much respect to granite its God made and beautiful!
CG
Arkansas
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If you do your research, you will find that not all granite has radon in it, in fact the drywall in your home contains more radon then your granite countertops will. In addition, you stated that the radon will be released during decay. FYI - granite is a rock, not only a completely natural resource that is in fact renewable, but it is a rock that will not decay over time, or at least in the amount of time that humans will remain on earth.
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wow I was hoping to add more content
take a look at:
http://nsraweb.com/index.php/Story/Whats_Lurking_in_Your_Countertop.html
and
http://nsraweb.com/index.php/Latest/EPA_Confirms_That_Granite_Countertops_Pose_No_Significant_Health_Risk.html
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as soon as I posted I noticed a couple of mistakes I'd made- it should have read "advice" not "advise" and this makes me question all the things I've read under "healthy home" not just Jana Ballinger's stuff. Until now I always assumed the posts were from experts in the field- this made it clear that was a stupid assumption
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the comment about it being a nonrenewable resource is silly- granite is the main component of continental tectonic plates- in other words this isn't something we're going to run out of. (specfic granties can run out- inclusions will differ depending on where the granite formed- but will always have enough grantie for matching countertops). Unlike bamboo or recycled glass if you choose a subdued color it will never go out of style nor will it need to be replaced due to wear and tear. I think aluminum tiles are a bad choice for trying to be green- Al (while a plentiful componet of the earth's crust) it is not found by itself and there has to be separated- this process is far from green (& it's also mined) - oh but the tiles you were referring to are from recycled Al? That just means virgin Al had to go into making something else, because we use more than is recycled. Do you homework- try to find granite that is mined in a responsible manner and make sure it isn't radioactive (this was good info to know to ask about). I think trying to get everyone to avoid granite because you have a personal distaste for it makes me question your other advise. This article seems very light on facts!
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wow! that is really disturbing. we just bought a house, and I definitely found that as we were looking granite countertops seemed to be all the rage. perhaps luckily, we couldn't afford any home that had granite counters :) this just makes you wonder what other dangers are lurking in our homes and products, *sigh*.
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