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Some granite countertops contain as much uranium as commercial uranium ore. Granite that contains uranium will also emit radioactive radon gas, the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.
A San Mateo homemaker learned that her new Jupurana Bordeaux granite was radioactive. Radon gas from the granite tripled the radon concentration in her kitchen. Sitting at her custom granite tabletop, the dose of gamma radiation to her breasts and abdomen would approach 200 millirem/year.
The EPA recommends that members of the public should not exceed 100 millirem/year above background radiation. Ideally, no more than 25 millirem/year should come from any one source, like kitchen counters.
A Carmel family learned that their Jupurana Bordeaux was similarly radioactive and increased the radon concentration in their kitchen. The most radioactive spot on the counters was a dark red swirl on their island, the location where their 15-year old son often perched when the family was in the kitchen. Given his typical habits, the teen approached 200 millirem/year of gamma radiation. That radiation dose was delivered directly to his developing gonads.
The most radioactive granite we have seen was Four Seasons, removed from a home in Houston. That granite contained enough uranium to be classified as radioactive waste.
The U.S. has no standards for radiation in building materials. The showrooms that sold the radioactive granite did not violate any regulations. In most cases, a homeowner that purchased radioactive granite has no legal recourse and must bear the cost of replacing the countertops.
Unfortunately, options for testing are limited. Hiring an industrial hygienist or health physicist can run several hundred dollars. Renting a Geiger counter or micro-R meter is more economical, provided the homeowner is comfortable using the instrument and interpreting the data. A few homeowners have tested their granite with radiation film badges.
The San Mateo County Public Health Department told us they did not have equipment to measure radiation. Responding to our many requests, the California Radiologic Health Branch inspected the radioactive granite in San Mateo. After 8 months, we are still waiting for their report.
Photo of radioactive granite by Linda Kincaid.
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