The reports were about granite countertops that contain radium which can emit radon a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.
Which granite countertops have more radon than others.
Some granite countertops have been found to give off trace amounts of radon and reporters cited a few kitchens with radon levels as high as 25 times the epa s safety limit of 4 picocuries per liter of.
Radon coming from common soil under homes can be in high enough concentrations to be of great concern.
The story here appears to be that some granite countertops have been found to emit high levels of radon a strongly carcinogenic natural radioactive element.
These radioactive elements are solids but over time they may decay into radon says the environmental protection agency epa.
A specially trained and qualified radiation professional may be equipped to test for other radon sources such as granite or diffusion from drinking water when diagnosing the nature and source of your home s radon problem.
Are the levels of radon in granite countertops harmful.
If the levels of radon in the area containing the granite are higher than your indoor levels in another area of your home and the surface top test devices also return high results then it is possible that the granite is contributing to or is the source of your indoor radon levels.
The soil is a richer source of potential radon gas and a bigger threat to public health than granite countertops.
Granite countertops and radon gas science and technical committee of the american.
Learn more about radon.
Some pieces of granite may contain more of these elements than others.
Granite naturally contains more of these elements than many other stones and is therefore a little bit more radioactive than other natural surfaces such as slate or marble.
Radon is an odorless colorless gas produced by the breakdown of uranium that seeps out of the earth more commonly in some places on the planet than others.