At most only a tiny percentage of them have been tested for radon or radiation levels but a recent test of 13 types of granite typically used for countertops found no radon or very low levels of.
Brazil granite radon.
I have a lot of issues with granite countertops the cherry on top of the mcmansion sundae.
The origins of these concerns are advertisements and other communications from the manufacturers of radon detection devices and the manufacturers of competing synthetic countertop materials.
There are currently no regulations concerning granite countertops radon gas or radiation emissions.
Ok so the risk from granite is minuscule but how common is radon in u s.
April 2014 in order to extract the beautiful granite rock that adorns so many countertops floors and building facades in the united states skilled quarry workers must saw or blast the raw granite into blocks to remove it from the quarry location for further fabrication.
The issue of granite containing radon has surfaced repeatedly over the years.
Radon exposure no concern to quarry workers.
The us epa recommends taking corrective measures for radon levels at or above 4 pci l the us epa encourages you to consider reducing your radon levels for readings between 2 and 4.
Some granite and other natural stones contains trace amounts of uranium.
The health physics society after testing several samples of commercial granite concluded that the radon produced by a typical granite countertop would be about 30 times lower than the level laid out in the epa guidelines.
Granites can be black gray pink or red depending on the colors of the constituent minerals.
Radon originating from the soil beneath homes is a more common problem and a far larger public health risk than radon from granite building materials.
They are heavy expensive and cost a lot to ship.
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and is estimated to cause tens of thousands of lung cancer deaths in the u s.
However in some instances tests have found that granite countertops give off potentially dangerous levels of radiation.
If it emits radon it typically does so at very low levels.
Granite countertops and radon gas science and technical committee of the american association of radon scientists and technologists aarst august 4 2008 2 pages.
The epa says that approximately one of every 15 homes throughout the country whether new or old has elevated radon levels.
Radon that originates in the soil is the main cause of radon problems the epa says.
Color and uranium content.
The study confirms that granite is a safe material for use in kitchens.
This is not the only method for measuring the amount of radon coming from the granite but it is the most economical.