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My radio-active crystal ball tells me there could be a lot of panic-stricken home-owners demanding new c-tops. Imagine the already clueless Home Depot kitchen associate when faced with these kinds of issues and questions.
My thought is this: We're all gonna die anyway. No big deal if it's attributed to a bus or a countertop.
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Yes, you'll find a number of, uh, lively threads on this over at gardenweb, where the main source for the article is a frequent and controversial contributor.
I totally agree about overreacting but we did have a fairly severe radon problem in our home and while our granite countertops weren't throwing our levels to the same height this lady was experience they were further elevated in the kitchen (we were already planning an exit for our granite countertops). We had our house mitigated last year.
This isn't really a joke... some types of granite truly -are- naturally radioactive. My girlfriend and hubby living out by Yosemite *cannot* drink the water because of radioactivity - their aquifer is surrounded by such granite-w-uranium. Everyone has triple filters on the taps and buys bottled water to drink.
Of course, for them the water is sitting inside the granite & being infused w/the uranium, which is a little bit different from having a slab of countertop, but still...
No, it's not a joke, but if you investigate the source for that article, he's not exactly a disinterested witness. There were a number of rebuttals from many sources, including the EPA, the following day, and it's very interesting to me that the original article keeps going with no mention of those anywhere in the various publications that are mindlessly picking it up from the wires.
I find it quite alarming, even if it is only SOME types of granite. I spend a lot of time at my countertop. Even a low risk is unacceptable to me. Especially when there are so many other materials for countertops. I'm feeling rather thankful I couldn't afford granite when I did my kitchen.
I like granite but if I ever buy a house with granite countertops in the future, I'll definitely be doing a radon inspection first.
I avoid unnecessary x-rays and I don't smoke, so avoiding granite countertops or having testing done on them, seems a no brainer to me. The cumulative, long term effect would be the major concern to me.
If the house is under 4 pCi/L it's considered safe. While granite can definitely add to or be a source of radon it's generally cracks in the foundation, built in planter boxes that go through the slab, etc. that should be the focus and everyone should do a radon test. It really should be standard real estate sale practice by now.
Following is a partial press release I just received from the NKBA:
"HACKETTSTOWN, NJ (August 4, 2008) - There has been recent news concerning the possibility that granite countertops may contain dangerously high levels of radon. The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has long recognized the carcinogenic effects of radon in the home and, as a result, recommends that consumers planning to remodel a kitchen or bath consult with an NKBA-certified designer.
Associate Kitchen & Bath Designers (AKBDs), Certified Kitchen Designers (CKDs), Certified Bathroom Designers (CBDs), and Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designers (CMKBDs) are experts in design who have been taught the proper methods for eliminating radon and other hazardous gases from the home, as discussed in the NKBA Professional Resource Library volume Kitchen and Bath Systems.
In addition to radon, NKBA-certified designers are familiar with many other health concerns in kitchen and bath remodels that most consumers have never considered.
For more details on the health effects of radon in granite countertops, the NKBA recommends the Marble Institute of America as a reliable source of information. An associate member of the NKBA, the Institute has prepared a thorough analysis of radon levels and granite in its 2008 Radon Study. This study, as well as a consumer radon brochure and additional documents concerning radon in granite countertops are available at www.marble-institute.com."
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I live in an area where radon doesn't seem to be a problem.
My hunch is that radon-release rates of stones sold as "granite" vary widely. They include granitic rocks (molten rock that hardened underground) as well as metamorphic rocks (sediments that were subjected to high temperture and pressure--quartzite is squished sandstone).
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