The reports were about granite countertops that contain radium which can emit radon a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer.
Brazilian granite radon.
Color and uranium content.
Ok so the risk from granite is minuscule but how common is radon in u s.
Does the epa believe there is a danger of radon gas or associated radiation being emitted from granite countertops.
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.
What about radon and radioactivity in granite countertops.
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.
It is possible for any granite sample to contain varying concentrations of uranium and other naturally occurring radioactive elements.
Granites can be black gray pink or red depending on the colors of the constituent minerals.
This is not the only method for measuring the amount of radon coming from the granite but it is the most economical.