As it turns out my personal distaste for granite and maple, the “staples” for any kitchen renovation over the last couple years could turn out to be beneficial in more ways than one. I made the decision to break the mold, by choosing Corian for our counter-tops, and white doors from Ikea for the cabinets, mostly as a way to do something different, something modern, light and airy, something that would stand out in a sea of maple and granite. However a number of people are discovering that along with their granite countertops comes a heavy dose of radioactivity.
I just saw an article in the NYTimes - What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? and this could be the biggest selling point of our light white modern choices yet. The article reports on an experience a new homebuyer had when she found out the house she was buying had elevated levels of radon, so she hired a radon inspector to discover the source of the cancer causing gas.
“’He went from room to room,’ said Dr. Sugarman, a pediatrician. But he stopped in his tracks in the kitchen, which had richly grained cream, brown and burgundy granite countertops. His Geiger counter indicated that the granite was emitting radiation at levels 10 times higher than those he had measured elsewhere in the house.”
“When the technician told her to keep her daughter several feet from the countertops just to be safe, she said, ‘I had them ripped out that very day,’ and sent to the state Department of Health for analysis. The granite, it turned out, contained high levels of uranium, which is not only radioactive but releases radon gas as it decays.”
The article goes on to report that the EPA has seen an increase in the reports of “Hot” countertops as the popularity of granite increases.
The E.P.A. recommends taking action if radon gas levels in the home exceeds 4 picocuries per liter of air (a measure of radioactive emission); about the same risk for cancer as smoking a half a pack of cigarettes per day.
In another article Hostile Granite Showrooms Refuse to Discuss Radiation over at Green Building Elements details a women’s experience as she try’s to get more information about the potential health hazards by speaking directly with Granite Countertop dealers.
“I was basically thrown out of a showroom today for mentioning radiation to the owner.”
Whether or not there may be harmful radiation found within Granite, I am extremely happy with my choice of Corain, and I am extremely pleased with the results.
Tagged: corian, countertop, granite, kitchen, modern, radioactivity, radon, Real Estate
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2 Comments
Hi,
I think Corian looks beautiful with those white doors. These days, no one seller wants to hear anything about their products being some kind of hazard to the health of others. In this case, all we can do for now is just avoid buying something that might cause us harm.
I agree, I think with the rising interest in living green, there is extra concern placed upon the products used within a home. Nice website by the way, bathrooms are next, I’ll keep you bookmarked.