Is Radon Lurking in Your Granite Countertop?

As the popularity of granite countertops has grown in the last decade, demand for them has increased tenfold according to the Marble Institute of America (MIA), a trade group representing granite fabricators.  With increased sales volume and variety, there have also been more reports of “hot” or potentially hazardous countertops, particularly among the more exotic and striated varieties from Brazil and Namibia.  But is this health threat an urban legend or a real danger to a homeowner’s health?

Allegations that granite countertops may emit dangerous levels of radon and radiation have been raised periodically over the past decade, mostly by makers and distributors of competing countertop materials such as the Zodiaq® Quartz product from Dupont™.  The MIA has said such claims are baseless because although granite is known to contain uranium and other radioactive materials like thorium and potassium, the amounts in countertops are not enough to pose a health threat.  Health physicists and radiation experts agree that most granite countertops emit radiation and radon at extremely low levels and pose no health risk.  They say these emissions are insignificant compared with so-called background radiation that is constantly raining down from outer space or seeping up from the earth’s crust, not to mention emanating from manmade sources like X-rays, luminous watches and smoke detectors (yes – even that little “tweeting” device on your ceiling that can save your life can apparently be a peril).

So what’s a homeowner to do?  Like most situations in life, don’t panic.  Get all the facts and then make a decision that is right for you and your family.

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