America frets over ‘radioactive kitchens’ - July 28, 2008
Posted for Katrina Charles, BA Media Fellow
There has been a lot of press in the USA in the last few days about the risk from radiation from granite countertops. Rice University physics professor William Llope says 3 out of 95 samples of granite he’s looked at had radiation levels above US EPA guidelines, although his data is as yet unpublished (Houston Chronicle).
Granite and other volcanic rocks are known to have higher than average levels of uranium. As uranium decays one of the things you’ll find in its place is radon gas. Inhaling this gas is unsurprisingly bad for your lungs’ health.
So if there are high levels of uranium in the granite used for countertops, they can give off high levels of radon. While marble manufacturers are citing the EPA assurances that granite countertops pose no significant health risk, some people are already ripping them out (NY Times).
Radon is well known to be a problem when it builds up. Underground, it can build up in caves and mines. In houses, it can build up if the house isn’t properly ventilated.
The Marble Institute of America (which also backs granite producers) got the University of Akron, Ohio, to test 13 types of granite used in benchtops. Akron’s researchers found the granite with the highest level of radiation would contribute 0.27 picoCuries (pCi) per litre to a household, where the levels requiring action for a household in the US are 4 pCi per litre.
Given the high variability between granites, is there a granite with high enough emissions to cause health impacts when used for countertops? One kitchen where a benchtop was ripped out was reported to have levels of 100 pCi.per Litre, 25 times higher than the action level. However, the basement, which presumably reflects the natural levels in local rocks, was also over the action limit with 6 pCi per Litre.
And while the danger from granite is low, if it’s there at all, a line in the NY Times’ coverage suggests we could be seeing a lot more stories on the topic: “Personal injury lawyers are already advertising on the Web for clients who think they may have been injured by countertops.”
Image: granite quarry in Maine circa 1906 / USGS
Comments
We understand why homeowners would be alarmed by this story, and the Marble Institute of America would like to assure people that research shows granite countertops pose no threat.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Consumer Reports and repeated independent studies have shown granite countertops pose no health hazard.
-EPA stated Friday: “EPA has no reliable data to conclude that types of granite used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels.” (http://iaq.custhelp.com/cgibin/iaq.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php)
An independent scientific analysis of a variety of studies shows that, accounting for normal airflow in the typical home, radon contributed by granite countertops ranges from 0.01 – 0.02 pCi/L – levels that are 200 to 400 times lower than the EPA guideline of 4 pCi/L.
-By some measures, the amount of radon emitted by a granite countertop is less than one millionth of that already present in household air from other sources. Many granite countertops do not emit radon at all, and those treated with sealant reduce emissions even further.
Cohn & Wolfe on behalf of The Marble Institute of America
Posted by: Silvia Osante | July 29, 2008 11:51 PM
It's just a countertop. What's the worst that can happen?
Posted by: Dave | July 31, 2008 12:41 AM
Public Concern
There is a lot of press about this issue recently. Since I'm around granite all the time (no cancer here), I've researching to find the real facts about this granite and radon.
If you want to see what I've found go to my blog:
http://safegranite.blogspot.com
Peter Pental
http://pentalonline.com
Posted by: Peter Pental | August 13, 2008 10:25 PM
I don't think that using granite countertops in the kitchen are so much harmful. By the way this is quite lengthy topic to discuss.
Posted by: granite-sealer | March 6, 2009 07:01 AM