Marble Institute of America: Industry and Professional Resources - Technical Bulletins: The Truth About Granite & Radon/Radiation 9/2005

Granite & Radon - The Truth

September 2005

Solid Surface, The Journal of the Solid Surface Industry (Volume 1 Number 1) that was published in 1995, included an article entitled "Granite & Radon". The introduction to the article stated "Scientific research poses disturbing questions about the safety of granite countertops" and copies of this article were circulated around the stone industry raising questions about radon gas emissions from granite countertops. The key advertisers in this journal were manufacturers of competing countertop materials.

The MIA called upon several of the country's leading scientists in geology and geochemistry to assist in preparing a response to the allegations in this article that radon gas emissions from granite countertops may be hazardous. On reading the article, our consultants reacted with such comments as "ludicrous", "a fabulous collage of nonsense", "politically motivated", "unethical", and "bizarre".

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