The Great Granite/Radon Fuss

Over the last couple of months there have been many news articles and blog posts about radon and radioactivity in granite countertops.

It seems that there MIGHT BE a small number of installed countertops emanating some pretty bad stuff into people's kitchens.

Plays right into the fears of the fearful and the web is echoing with their concerns.

My post today though has to do with those people who are planning new kitchens or remodels of their existing kitchens who STILL want granite countertops and are contemplating the purchase of a Geiger counter at around $150 to take along on their shopping expeditions.

I suggest that you save your money and instead demand that the stone yard selling the granite slabs PROVE to you with on the spot testing that the granite they are selling is safe for you and your family.

Believe me, if enough of you make such a request/demand, the purveyors of granite will get the message and take responsibility for the safety of their products, AND their employees.

They will then go back to their suppliers and demand the same proof of safety before they order slabs from the quarries.

Before you know it there will be testing stickers on every slab of granite displayed in the USA and the issue will be a dead one.

That leaves the (perhaps) millions of Americans with existing granite countertops to enrich the makers of Geiger counters.

I suggest you all get together on MySpace and purchase one per neighborhood to cut down on the cost (NOTE: This is a tongue in cheek statement - I really don't think that people should be buying Geiger counters - see the AARST Granite Position Statement or the EPA paper - A Citizen's Guide to Radon: The Guide to Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Radon).

Peggy

09/09/08

A press release from MIA:

MIA Begins Campaign to Counter Reports about Granite's Health Risks

Cleveland, OH - An extensive legal, scientific and media campaign by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) is underway to protect the granite industry from what the association charged are unwarranted attacks "based on junk science and inconsistent testing results" that suggest granite countertops may pose a significant health risk to consumers. The latest firestorm over the potential health risks posed by granite heightened dramatically with the July 24 publication of an article entitled "What's Lurking in Your Countertop" in The New York Times, which reported that a radon measurement technician found levels of radon in the kitchen of an upstate New York home were 10 times higher than in other areas of the residence. Further tests, the article stated, attributed the elevated levels to the release of radon gas, a known carcinogen, from the kitchen's granite countertops.

The MIA's massive campaign to counter the article's claims and subsequent media reports on the subject included the following:

The MIA cited several independent studies which, it said, "consistently reveal no reason to believe that radon emissions from granite countertops pose a health risk in the home."

It attacked the methodology behind the findings reported in the NYT article, claiming the measurement procedure used by the technician was flawed.
The MIA last month called on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to "help calm the situation and reassure the public" by "reasserting the safety of granite countertops." According to the MIA, the EPA responded with a statement on its own website reaffirming "that granite countertops pose no significant health risk" and discounting "alarmist reports" about the safety of granite countertops.
The MIA noted several scientists and leading radon specialists have agreed to help create universally accepted scientific standards for testing granite tops for radon emissions.

The MIA has also established a "Truth About Granite Fund" aimed at financing its efforts "to disseminate honest, accurate, science-based information," and encouraged members to contact local media in an effort to provide more "balanced" coverage of the issue.

MIA Reports State Health & Environmental Officials' Growing Consensus: Granite Is Safe

Cleveland, OH- To clear up consumer confusion about the safety of granite countertops, a number of state environmental and health agencies have issued new statements that all conclude granite countertops typically found in homes don't pose a health risk to consumers, according to the Marble Institute of America (MIA). Those agencies include:

Florida Department of Health (FDOH), which recently posted this on its website: "...While the FDOH has never performed a study specifically designed to evaluate any health risks of granite countertops, staff from the FDOH's Bureau of Radiation Control and from the FDOH's Radon Program have had the opportunity over the years to survey various granite samples for gamma emissions, including a few granite countertops, and have yet to find granite thought to be a significant gamma radiation hazard..."

Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS), which stated on its site, "The amount of radioactivity in most granite is quite small. While it's possible to get a measurable level of direct radiation from some granite, in general it emits less radiation than we're regularly exposed to from background radiation. These levels are so low that they're not harmful to human health."

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), which cited the three most common radon sources: "Terrestrial radiation from soil and soil gases; cosmic radiation from the sun and outer space; and internal radiation due to naturally occurring radiation in the body."

North Carolina Geological Survey (NCGS), whose assistant state geologist, Kenneth Taylor, said he seriously doubts radon from most natural stone counters is enough to hurt anyone. "Almost all igneous rocks have some small amount of radiation."

Washington State Department of Health (WSDOH), which said, "If the stone is properly sealed, there's little likelihood that the granite will cause a radon problem. Even if the countertop is releasing some radiation, that does not mean it will be a radon problem or public health concern. Based on our experience with radon and radiation issues, we would not let this be the deciding factor on whether or not to get granite countertops."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which recently updated its position on granite tops: "Based on existing studies, most types of granite used in countertops and other aspects of home construction are not typically known to be major contributors of radiation and radon in the average home."

11/21/08

An exhaustive study commissioned by the Marble Institute of America concludes:

Environmental Health & Engineering, Inc. has completed a detailed evaluation of potential human health risks of naturally occurring radioactive materials in granite countertops. The extensive measurements and rigorous mathematical modeling conducted to date indicate that (i) external doses of ionizing radiation emitted from granite countertops are well below levels that would pose a health concern and (ii) contributions from granite countertops to radon levels in homes are lower than background levels of radon exposure typically found outdoors and indoors.

You can read the entire report here.

Peggy

1/22/09

Well, it looks like the Marble Institute of America is taking my advice and instituting testing and labeling of stone slabs to reassure the public about their safety. Look for "Home Approved Stone" labels on slabs in yards within the next few months.

Peggy

Stone Safety Testing Program Begun by MIA

A national stone safety testing program, aimed at "reassuring consumers about the safety, beauty and durability of granite countertops and putting an end to baseless claims that granite countertops can pose a health risk," has been unveiled by the Marble Institute of America.

The Cleveland, OH-based MIA last month announced the Home Approved Stone Program, a universal testing protocol "that allows consumers to be completely confident that the granite countertops they choose for their homes are every bit as safe as they are durable, practical and beautiful."

Developed by independent scientists and researchers following an ambitious study of granite countertops, the protocols have been submitted for peer review to scientific organizations involved in radon and radiation testing, according to the trade association. Products that pass the test will be labeled with a "Home Approved Stone" logo, showing they have been screened and approved for interior use, the MIA said, with granite slabs bearing the Home Approved Stone logo starting to appear in showrooms in the coming months.