Can granite countertops be harmful to our health? The issue is that some granite countertops can emit elevated levels of radon. Radon is a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer and is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking. Granite counter tops can contain radioactive materials like thorium, uranium, and potassium (K40). These elements may release radon gas as they decays. Only highly elevated amounts of these radioactive elements can be hazardous to our health.
Our bodies are exposed to countless amounts radiation each day. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission stated that the average person is exposed to a level of 360 millirems of radiation per year. Millirem is the measure of energy absorbed by the body. Some health physicists and radiation experts say that emissions from granite countertops are not as significant a risk to our health as the radiation that is seeping into our earth’s crust from outer space. In addition to the radiation from outer space, experts say that man-made radiation such as x-rays, luminous watches and smoke detectors are actually more detrimental to our health than the radioactive gases from granite countertops.
To test the amount of radon gas your granite countertop is emitting in your home, you can hire a certified radiation technician to test your granite countertops. If your granite countertop is emitting four picocuries per liter of air or higher, you should consider removing them. A picocurie is the measure of radioactive emissions to the air. If you are unsure about the granite in your home you should consider getting your home tested.
Source:
· http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&em
Picture sources:
· http://www.dreamdesignstrading.com/images/products/granite_countertops_03.jpg
· http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&em
by: DR
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