Granite Countertops and Your Health

By Matthew Marin
August 04, 2008 - With the increase in sales volume of granite countertops and more stone being imported from numerous countries, reports of countertops with elevated levels of radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer, are coming from the more exotic and strained stone varieties from Brazil and Namibia, The New York Times reports. Today, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) addressed concerns, stating that it has long recognized the carcinogenic effects of radon in the home and, as a result, recommends that consumers planning to remodel a kitchen or bath consult with an NKBA-certified designer.The Natural Stone Council (NSC) recently announced its support for granite as a safe, natural material for indoor use based on research including an independent study funded by the Marble Institute of America (an NSC member) and newly issued U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) statements reaffirming that granite poses no health risk. Makers and distributors of competing countertop materials have made allegations periodically over the past decade that granite countertops may emit dangerous levels of radon and radiation. The Marble Institute of America has disputed such claims, stating that granite contains uranium and other radioactive materials like thorium and potassium, but the amounts in countertops are not enough to pose a health risk.