Will Your Granite Countertops Give You Cancer
Granite countertops, that are found in the home of many people across the U.S., have been found to actually pose a health risk. It has been found that these granite countertops let out radioactive gas which can cause cancer.
The report comes from the New York Times, and focuses on granite countertops, which have become a popular staple in the home of many people in the U.S. and abroad.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come out and stated that the gas emitted by the granite countertops is a radioactive noble gas, radon. It has no taste, no odor, etc. They are urging all consumers with granite countertops to pick up an inexpensive radon test kit
This gas affects indoor air quality, and is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
The EPA put out a statement late Friday saying “While natural minerals such as granite may occasionally emit radon gas, the levels of radon attributable to such sources are not typically high. EPA believes the principal source of radon in homes is soil gas that is drawn indoors through a natural solutioni process.”
The EPA did state that construction materials such as granite, as well as concrete, cinder blocks, etc can contain small radioactive materials.
The New York Times article states that homeowners are recommended to “bring fresh air in and exchange it with the air in the kitchen.”
According to the Seattle P-I, “A radon measurement and mitigation technician was brought in to find the source and while passing what the reporter describes as “richly grained cream, brown and burgundy granite countertop” his Geiger counter indicated radiation levels 10 times higher than those he had measured elsewhere in the house.”
The Marble Institute of America told the Times that such claims are “ludicrous.” The Houston Chronicle cites Rice University physics professor W.J. Llope and he says that some granite countertops “contain high levels of uranium, which, by generating gamma radiation and radon gas, can endanger human health.”