Common household objects killing you with radiation is becoming quite a theme on this blog. We’ve had radioactive recliners and radioactive drywall. It was only a matter of time, I suppose, before we reached the silent killer: granite countertops.
All granite (and most other earthen materials) contain trace levels of uranium and radium, which decay into radon gas. Radon gas and its daughter products are very radioactive and can accumulate in houses, particularly in basements, and present a severe health hazard if inhaled. There is no evidence, however, that the low levels found in granite countertops are a significant source of radon contamination. This has not stopped people from tearing their granite out, based on dubious radiation measurements.
What about the people who are cutting granite into counter shaped pieces, though? That is a different question altogether. One of the hazards of cutting any kind of material is dust inhalation. If the material is radioactive, it makes sense that the hazard could be significantly multiplied. The radon given off from a piece of granite might have a low enough concentration that not much of it is inhaled. However if the granite is in your lung already, the concentration would obviously be higher. Now one researcher claims that the risk from cutting granite is, in fact, significantly higher.
Craftsmen who cut granite for kitchen countertops can be at risk of radiation exposure thousands of times above the federal safety limit, according to new research.
The danger results from inhaling the airborne granite dust, which sometimes contains significant quantities of uranium and other dangerous isotopes, scientists say.
“What we found scared the daylights out of us,” said co-author Linda Kincaid, an industrial hygienist in Saratoga, Calif.
The study, “Implications of Granite Counter Top Construction and Uses,” raises concerns that the stone dust could be exposing America’s estimated 24,000 granite fabricators to elevated cancer risks, according to Kincaid. People living in homes with granite countertops face no health concerns from the dust, which is generated when the stone is cut.
Obviously, this research needs to be replicated and confirmed. It hasn’t been peer reviewed and published, only presented as a poster at a meeting of the Health Physics Society. It seems at least somewhat plausible. I would guess, though, that the hazard of breathing in the dust itself is higher than any risk from the radiation, and workshops already take measures to keep the amount of dust in the air down. The linked article states that most fabricators use water cutting techniques that minimize the amount of dust generated. Whether the radiation hazard is real or not, it looks like a good idea for all fabricators to adopt those techniques.
