Green Countertops…Safer Than Granite?

Posted on July 29, 2008
Tag(s): Kitchens And Baths, Green Furnishings, For Kids, Hazardous Products / Health Issues | | Email this

granite1-190.jpgIn light of my series of blog posts last week about kitchen countertops, I thought I’d write about an another advantage of green countertops — they don’t emit radon or radiation like some granite.

It turns out that granite countertops contain uranium and other radioactive substances like thorium and potassium which emit radon and radiation into your home. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Some granite emits higher levels than others, but to be safe, you can have the level measured by a certified radon mitigation technician. It is especially important if you are pregnant or have children, since those still developing are more vulnerable to hazardous materials in general.

According to an article at The New York Times, “The E.P.A. recommends taking action if radon gas levels in the home exceeds 4 picocuries per liter of air (a measure of radioactive emission); about the same risk for cancer as smoking a half a pack of cigarettes per day.”

Marble Institute of America, a trade group representing granite fabricators, plans to develop a testing protocol for granite.

Comments

One Response to “Green Countertops…Safer Than Granite?”

  1. Pays to live green on August 2nd, 2008 2:28 pm

    Wow, that is really alarming. I can’t believe they allow them to even be used when they contain radon. Great article and I will be sure to get more natural counter tops like you mention in your previous articles.

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