Radon and Granite Countertops
A few weeks ago, the MIA, Marble Institute of America, broke a 14 year old position that said granite countertops contained no Radon or radioactivity. An unpublished study was used, claiming that of 13 stones tested, only one had very high levels 292 pCi/L. Their calculation was predictably low, as the MIA set the protocol for the test. 26 square feet of Crema Bordeaux, the 292 pCi/L level granite in the test, was shown to add .27 pCi/L to a 2,000 square foot home.
Three main organizations have set dose/risk factors for Radon, the ICRP, the EPA, and BEIR IV. The factors range between .2 and 1.2 extra cancers from a lifetime exposure to 1 pCi/L.
If the MIA study is taken at face value, that would mean between .05% risk and .32% risk of developing cancer from 26 square feet of Crema Bordeaux. But there is a problem with the MIA study, the amount of granite was too low for a home of that size.
The average countertop sold in the US is between 65 and 75 square feet, versus 26 square feet from the MIA study. So a more realistic square footage would be from 2.5 to 2.9 times more granite. One should take the .27 pCi/L found in Crema Bordeaux and call it between .675 and .78 pCi/L which would cause between 1.35% and 3.48% increased risk of cancer.
That is a significant difference.
Another problem with their study was the highest level granite is actually a pretty low emitter. Crema Bordeaux usually measures around .24 mR/hr (Alpha, Beta, and Gamma) for a area like that used in the MIA study, they show a picture of the Crema Bordeaux section tested in the study.
So, .24 mR/hr put out .27 pCi/L of Radon in a home? But some Crema Bordeax will run as high as 1.45 mR/hr, or 1.63 pCi/L using their ratio of radon to radiation. But use a reasonable amount of granite in that home, say 65 square feet, and now the Radon level is That level of Radon will cause from 4 pCi/L to 4.7 pCi/L in that example. Radon at that level has dose/risks factors between .9% and 5 %.
Here is an excellent white paper on Radon risks, recently updated. Note that over 20 Radon studies are currently in progress, they take time to track the people exposed and wait for them to develop health problems.
Another paper by one of the same authors above mentions that sealing aluminum foil or a dense coat of enamel paint helps the Radon gas decay in place, which has the effect of increasing Gamma radiation in the home.
Letting Radon out of your granite countertop lowers Gamma levels if a home is well ventilated
Here is the EPA FAQ site where they say to test all homes with granite countertops for Radon.
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on July 27th, 2008 at 6:49 am
This comment was severly edited by the administrator. It is against our rules to personally attack people or spread easily proven falsehoods Huligar (joh) agreed to the rules when he signed up. In addition, this entire post was a cut and post submission, which is not ethical for a discussion forum. Despite the editing, we feel parts of Huligar’s post deserve a hearing and a response. Some spelling and grammar errors were corrected as well.
We want to emphasise that we are not supporting his views, but are leaving them up so as to respond to the details.
When Sara Selber of BuildClean was asked how she got involved in natural stone and radon, she explained how she was approached by the owner of C&C North America, a company that produces two products – granite and a quartz product called Silestone®™.
“C&C North America then recruited a quartz company called Cambria, after they learned quartz was an issue, she further explained that the two companies hired her to test quartz, granite and other surfaces for radon emission. Both companies are testing their products through BuildClean, and they contracted two labs – one in New York and one in Israel.
We have looked all over the C&C website but cannot find any mention of natural stone.
When ask what granites emit radon, Sara Selber said; “Not all granites emit radon or radiation. There are some that clearly do. There are some that absolutely don’t. We don’t know,” she said.
They’re being set up as a non-profit, and they’re funded with two large donations.
The first is $250,000 from the makers of ‘Silestone.’ They manufacture quartz countertops, which is a direct competitor to granite. Silestone finance records show that they started out in April of 1998 with a an initial investment of $410K, made there first million in 1998, sales in 2002 was over $70M, and sales in 2006 was well over $260M. it is not hard to see that they have the money to invest $250,000 in a new advertising campaign.
BuildClean is also getting money from Cambria, another quartz manufacturer.
In fact, Cambria’s marketing director is on BuildClean’s board of directors.
When asked about the funding Sara responds: I don’t believe the issue is who our founders are. And I’m not going to have that debate.” That answer seems to be clear enough.
In a recent interview Mrs. Selber mentions teaming up with Al Gerhart who has some interest in the granite \radon scare.
Al Gerhart is a carpenter who happens to own a website called the Solid Surface Alliance.org. He educated himself, regarding materials he works with that may expose him to harmful elements.”
Edited for personal attack All one has to do is look at the website to get the gist of his viewpoint. Coincidentally, there also seems to be a new business venture for Solid Surface Alliance as the website now sells Geiger counters to detect radiation…
His debates have earned him quite a place online in forums discussing the subject.
Several parargraphs were edited out. Huligar quoted personal attacks by a Dr. Hans Henson, Dr. Hans, who has repeatable refused to answer even simple questions on his stance. Hans is acting as a shill for the MIA in this matter.
In response to the buildclean tactics, The Marble Institute of America is in the process of doing their own independent study:
“The Marble Institute of America (MIA) is grateful for the preliminary response from the members to the newly established Truth About Granite Fund. Based on this positive response, it’s clear that their colleagues share their 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.”
When we asked the MIA why Sara Speer Selber consider The Truth About Granite Fund as a draconian move that is being waged against BuildClean(TM), they simple responded:
“The Truth About Granite Fund was established to help raise funds to develop unbiased, scientific standards for the granite industry, including the testing of granite for radon. No such standards currently exist in the natural stone industry. Previous tests of granite samples have found they are safe. However, the Truth in Granite Fund aims to take advantage of new, advanced scientific instruments that make testing both more practical and more accurate. Our goal is to make sure testing follows consistent protocols, so that future studies are meaningful and based on consistent, approved science – not isolated methodologies or unapproved instruments. Ultimately, our goal is to make sure the granite we sell is safe.”
This latest sales tactic received the attention of an independent group called the NSRA. The NSRA saw Radon testing as an added service that their members could provide to the homeowners along with all their other services for natural stone. Josveek Huligar, one of the lead testers and trainer for the NSRA , invited times Members of the Solid Surface Alliance dot org to discuss and provide proof of this threat to the home owners.
The SolidSurfaceAlliance.org agreed to provide an alleged radiation producing granite sample that they claim to have in their possession to do independent testing. After an initial agreement between the two groups it seems the SolidSurfaceAlliance.org has reneged on the delivery of the alleged material. Mr Huligar was disappointed of the outcome. The NSRA than requested the name of the company that Mr. Gerhart claimed to just have rejected over 10k worth of radon producing granite. When the information was not provided, Huligar ask if he could purchase the next slab that Mr. Gerhart rejected. But for some reason Mr. Gerhart could no longer find a sample for testing. Mr. Huligar went on to say: “All we care about at this point. As for whether are not Stone adds a measurable amount of “radon” in a home, Mr. Gerhart had agreed to come to NY and pick out a hot slab that I would place in my own home after testing my home for radon. Once the granite was installed I would test my home again as described by the EPA and have it tested by someone approved by the EPA. Not only would we do the short and long term test, we would also video tape the whole event, the selection, the creation, the install, and than setting up cameras for anyone to view the stone and meters on the net. I was looking forward to do this, but at this time it appears that Mr. Gerhart has no plans on doing as he said which is a big disappointment.”
The NSRA plans to push for this simple test, they feel that the consumers only care about one thing; “whether or not adding granite in your home would significantly change the radon levels in a home”. At present, the most prudent consumer should watch the outcome of this debate and make an informed decision, not taken in by a scare tactic by advertisers.
Edited for duplicate link, in the future, please link to the actual site, not a copy of that site.
on July 28th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Hulligar wrote:
“We have looked all over the C&C website but cannot find any mention of natural stone.”
C&C North America is the distribution arm of both Silestone and Sensa, a natural granite. Plain old slabs of granite that has had some sort of resin put on top. Cosentino is the parent company, manytimes people just say Silestone when refering to the company. Sensa granite is sold in about 1,500 Lowes stores.
So far in this severly edited post, Huligar is doing fine, sticking to the facts.
“it is not hard to see that they have the money to invest $250,000 in a new advertising campaign.”
I would say that this is partially true. Why not take the opportunity to get out the info that says you are concerned about consumer safety and your employee’s safety. Hulligar already reported that they were having their own products tested as well, no doubt to see if they have any liability from what they are selling.
“In fact, Cambria’s marketing director is on BuildClean’s board of directors.”
As I would be if I gave someone a huge amount of cash for testing. As long as the scientists hired insist on peer review and publication, a BOD member has little chance to sway the results. I can say that a BOD member could influence the choice of scientist, as the MIA has hand picked their own, yet if they do as they have done in the past, any study coming from their side won’t be examined and published.
My question to Huligar is why the selective concern?
“Coincidentally, there also seems to be a new business venture for Solid Surface Alliance as the website now sells Geiger counters to detect radiation…”
True, as we do have an article posted here on the blogsite with a picture, as well as operating instructions. We even make a small profit after shipping costs, which is put in our meter fund to purchase more meters for our loan program. Currently we have loaners in Florida and Houston, then we have had meters in China, currently one in Brazil assiting not only one of our supporters, but also testing blocks that his slab processer vendor is buying, preventing the hot granite from being bought and cut into countertop slabs. We have meters in Abilene TX and Pennsylvania as well, at slab yards where they are testing granite slabs prior to sale as well as checking inventory and scrap piles for evidence of past problems.
Of course we have two meters in OKC searching for hotter samples to send for testing.
So far, we have sold four meters, all to supporters or members. Hardly a reason to claim we are biased. We also are advising people on other meter types, if we don’t have the info, I have friends in the radiation measureing industry that do have the answers. Some of the meters we recomend are sold by other vendors, no connection at all to our organization.
Then Huligar quoted the MIA:
“The Marble Institute of America (MIA) is grateful for the preliminary response from the members to the newly established Truth About Granite Fund. Based on this positive response, it’s clear that their colleagues share their 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.”
Sounds good, but what were they saying last month?
More later, going to the movies to see “Wally