Thursday July 24, 2008, 2:21 am
Fortunately, most experts (and certainly the marble industry!) think that any radon/radiation emitted from most of these fixtures is not dangerous - but there's always the exception. And with countertops being assembled from stone from all over the world, it might be wise to do a little research on these if you're planning to have them installed.

Who knew that countertops might make you glow in the dark?

Thursday July 24, 2008, 2:54 am
LOL.....Funny as much as serious.

Lord have mercy how we would die for or without out marble whatevers and even the ones we don't have.......Common sense=Marbles!!

PLANT TREES FOR LIFE..................

Thursday July 24, 2008, 2:58 am
noted

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:00 am
Good one, Bette! I live in a perfectly adequate apartment with no granite...and truthfully, radon or not, I never cared for granite counters...too cold...my ideal kitchen would be the kind in old farmhouses...huge, with a pantry and old-timey stuff in it...except for the appliances...gotta have energy-efficient stuff now! AND NO DAMN ELECTRIC STOVE...I am struck with one now...give me gas any day! (That doesn't sound quite right...HAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!)

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:10 am
Cate.....I have an eletric stove, hate it!! I Haven't a stitch of marble in my compact apartment. I'm sure I'll survive though.

Sheessshhhhhhh......Animals do just fine without all these material must haves of cars, planes, trains.........They seem to live longer if we don't kill them first!!

So much all our petty wants & complaints......

PLANT TREES FOR LIFE.......

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:21 am
Noted...Thanks Cate...and granite counter tops are in fad..there are thousands of homes built with them. Goes to show not everything that is in fad is good for us.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:30 am
Good Information' Thanks

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:36 am
Gee, who know NOT having granite countertops was a selling point for my house. I'll be calling my realtor to let her know about this article - maybe she can focus on my house being even MORE safe (and green!) :)

Thanks once again, Cate!

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:43 am
He is no fool
who gives what he
cannot keep to gain
what he cannot lose. --Jim Elliot

PLANT TREES FOR LIFE...............

Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:33 am

Isn't this used in shopping malls and office buildings?
Think of those big marble pillars at city hall & the fed court bldgs.
"Your Honor, I couldn't make the hearing today because your radioactive"

Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:38 am
As Judge Ito once said......."Be careful what you wish for."

PLANT TREES FOR LIFE........

Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:41 am
Correction: "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."

Dumpster diving is so much more fun.......Really!!

PLANT TREES FOR LIFE.........

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:08 am
My Kids tell me I've lost my marbles, so I'm safe from radiation....aren't I?????

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:16 am
Signed and noted,thanx ,Cate,.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:44 am
Well Cate, I've just been reading my newspaper and having a nice cup of coffee in my ceiling to floor granite kitchen, and now I read this, WOW what a bummer! I don't think that I'll be able to have my granite checked out here in Guadeloupe, but I'll shamefully admit I'm also a smoker so one way or another it looks like I'm doomed. LOL Thanks Cate, Noted.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 6:42 am
Thanks for this important information Cate. Noted.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 6:44 am
Pauline, I smoke too...I figure it makes up for NOT having granite! ROFL

Thursday July 24, 2008, 7:21 am
Cate, with the increase tax on ciagarettes can't hardly afford them,,,however the smoke rising from my head nowadays is usually due to the news not my smoking...lol....My home was in desperate need of rep[airs but when it came time for the kitchen I worked a barter with my son for cabinets exchanged for tools...countertop made by a local person- definitely not granite...sometimes not being able to afford something isn't a bad thing.We have been damaging our enviroment for so long is there really anything SAFE anymore?

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:06 am
*Still laughing at Ken's comment*
Thanks, Cate. Noted.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:06 am
OMG...my parents, both in their 70's just had granite counter tops installed a few months ago. And at quite an expense. I will forward this article to them today! Thanx Cate

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:49 am
Thanks for this news and i thought i heard everything. We are thinking about a new kitchen I'll be extra thoughtful on what i want scary! the secret things that are hidden Blessings Cate ! noted seriously pass on

Thursday July 24, 2008, 10:46 am
Don't forget to support Julie...we need only 320 more signatures...spread the word - thank you! Justice for Julie

Thursday July 24, 2008, 11:59 am
Thanks for this submission Cate. My neighbor's house does have granite countertops I'll be sure they see this article. My house came with that option but I never had them installed.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 12:01 pm
This is a great piece of info to know!
As a retired chef, I would prefer hardwood
countertops.....easier on the knives, and
no big deal to clean.
Thanks, Cate!
noted.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 1:10 pm
Thanks Cate for letting me know about this problem. I did not know about it and I bet most people don't know about it either.Let's all of us let others know too.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 3:30 pm
thanks cate i did not know about it

Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:20 pm
Thanks Cate, noted, and info: The Great Canadian Shield, surrounding the Great Lakes, to the west, to the North, to the East is where the uranium mines are, and is also where the Canadian Granite Comes from. There are also granite quarries in the Rocky Mountains.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 4:52 pm
Good thing that when I remodeled I was too poor to have granite; I thought they were beautiful. Who knew it would be a health benefit to be poor? It's never worked that way before. Thanks for great info, Cate.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:02 pm
Thanks Cate...I grew up in the county of Devon which if anyone has visited dartmoor will know is rich in granite of a fairly large crystaline structure...e.g. it was cooled slowly deep down near a magma chamber. Granites are a metomophosed form of rock and therefore contain the host rocks from which they are formed. In other words very few Granites are the same in composition or crystaline structure. Geologists like to talk about phenocryst size and colour when talking about different granites.

The reason that some granites become radio-active however is because the intense heat and pressure that formed them tend to concentrate the minerals within the host rock. Radio-active substances tend to break down over very long periods of time, some of them emitting the radon gasses. therefore not all graniotes are dangerous and indeed the amount of gasses are relatively small. Mostly granite has been traditionally used as a weatherproof exterior covering for biuldings and for structural uses within buildings. It is very strong and tends to weather very slowly...hence the Granite City of Aberdeen which they rebiult from the former sandstone in the 1700s when they had developed a reliable way of cutting granite using cutting wires.

The reason Marble is often prefered is because it is formed as a metamorphosed limestone...eg limestone that has been submitted to intence pressure due to tectonic plate movement rather than volcannic activity. Now limestone is a sendimentary rock formed like chalk of the shell substance of billions of nornally sea-creatures (yes there are fresh water limestones but the majority were laid down in the carboniferous era under the sea and hance was the floor of ancient seas.

CONCLUSSIONS: Marble isrisky but normally safe whereas marble is nearly always safe...but I prefer solid oak myself.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 5:57 pm
Cate... Thanks for the warning...Will pass on the article... Keep up the good work.....

Thursday July 24, 2008, 6:29 pm
Thanks Cate, I should be happy with my 40 year old counters. No radon or radiation, not pretty either. That is really interesting, I will pass it on.

Thursday July 24, 2008, 8:18 pm
No worries here my home was built in the 60's so its a solid build not like now days throwed together. I sure couldn't afford it even if I wanted it and I don't I like my home just fine. Laughing at your comment Thanks Cate