I work in a granite fabricating and finishing shop. Is there a radon risk in my workplace?
Based on existing studies, most types of granite used in countertops and other aspects of home construction are not typically known to be major contributors of radiation and radon in the average home. To date, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ("OSHA") has not performed any testing for radon in the workplace where granite is fabricated or finished. However, because some granites are more radioactive than others, depending on the composition of the molten rock from which they formed, it is possible that radon is present in your workplace at levels exceeding background radon concentrations. |
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Are granite countertops radioactive?
Based on existing studies, most types of granite used in countertops and other aspects of home construction are not typically known to be major contributors of radiation and radon in the average home.
Granite is an igneous rock, meaning that it was formed by the cooling of molten rock. As it cooled, minerals in the rock formed crystals. Uranium, radium, and thorium occur naturally in a wide number of minerals that appear as crystals in granites from around the world. Some granites are more radioactive than others, depending on the composition of the molten rock from which they formed.
The radium and thorium in the granite can decay into radon, a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas, which may be released from the granite over time. However, since the matrix of the granite is generally not very porous, the radon is less likely to escape from the granite than from a more porous stone such as sandstone.
(We are not aware of any radiation associated with soapstone, which is a metamorphic rock [igneous or sedimentary rock that has been altered by heat and temperature: marble is another kind of metamorphic rock, which originally was limestone.]) |
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 In a world gone “green”, everyone these days seems to be on the re-purpose, re-use and recycle, ban wagon. Yet do we truly understand what works, what does not, what is hype, what is real and just what does “going green” really mean? We can start with the simplest of questions asked every time we visit almost any store – paper or plastic? Of course, this is a huge debate and has been for quite some time. |
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In what seems to be a genuine concern of the effects of radon emissions in residential homes. BuildClean a non-profit organization out of Houston, has made it a point to raise the concern of natural stone emitting radon, even implying that natural stone could be a major contributor of radon in a household.
The allusion that seems to be made, that natural stone installed in your home is dangerous to your health is raised repeatedly on the website and in a recent local Houston TV news program.
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The Marble Institute of America (MIA) is grateful for the preliminary response from our members to our newly established Truth About Granite Fund. Based on this positive response, it’s clear that our colleagues share our commitment to protect consumers from needless fear mongering by establishing standards for the testing of granite so consumers can safely and comfortably enjoy the beauty, durability and practicality of this natural stone. |
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When marketing a product, one expects a bit of hype. The idea is to show that the product is the best over the competitor's line of product. That is the trade of advertisers and the history of marketing. Some tactics used to sell can be humorous or as serious as the competition between manufacturers. Marketing tactics that play on fears of the general public can be a very powerful tool. In the present day, there's a very popular angle of "green." This is prevalent everywhere in the media. So what happens when you mix a scare tactic under the guise of environmental concern? Buildclean found the answer to that question. The premise seems of the nonprofit organization seems to be admirable but the fact that the "awareness campaign" that Buildclean is currently using seems to be curiously slanted. In fact, the target seems to be the natural stone industry. |
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Read more... [What’s Lurking in Your Countertop]
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