Speaking of countertops... Granite is SAFE!

By Holly Peterson

Study Reveals No Health Hazard From Granite, MIA Contends
In what it called the "most comprehensive scientific study of health threats from granite countertops" ever conducted, results did not find a single stone slab that poses a health risk, while quantities of radon and radiation emitted by stones included in the analysis all fell well below average background levels commonly found in the U.S., the Marble Institute of America said last month.

The Cleveland, OH-based MIA, which has disputed claims at granite emits potential unhealthy levels of radon, announced the results of the study last month. According to the association, scientists conducted more than 400 tests of 115 different varieties of granite countertops, including stones cited in media reports as being potentially problematic. The stones tested, said the MIA, include types of granite that comprise approximately 80% of the annual U.S. market share for granite countertops.

The study found that not one stone slab contributed to radon levels that even reached the average U.S. outdoor radon concentration of 0.4 picocuries per liter - one-tenth the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency level for remedial action within a home, the MIA said. The stone slabs found to emit at higher levels - though still well below average outdoor background levels - represent a tiny share of the U.S. market for granite countertops, less than 1% of sales, the association noted.