« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)  (Read 4492 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline bijou

  • Topic Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8937
  • Reputation: +336/-26
What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« on: July 24, 2008, 03:57:12 PM »
Quote
Tab  (1000+ posts)       Thu Jul-24-08 12:56 PM
Original message
What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
 Advertisements [?]Source: NY Times

SHORTLY before Lynn Sugarman of Teaneck, N.J., bought her summer home in Lake George, N.Y., two years ago, a routine inspection revealed it had elevated levels of radon, a radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. So she called a radon measurement and mitigation technician to find the source.

Testing Reports of granite emitting high levels of radon and radiation are increasing.

Using devices like the Geiger counter and the radiation detection instrument Stanley Liebert measures the radiation and radon emanating from granite like that in Lynn Sugarman’s kitchen counters.

“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.

“My first thought was, my pregnant daughter was coming for the weekend,” Dr. Sugarman said. 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 health risk to me and my family was probably small,” Dr. Sugarman said, “but I felt it was an unnecessary risk.”
...
“It’s not that all granite is dangerous,” said Stanley Liebert, the quality assurance director at CMT Laboratories in Clifton Park, N.Y., who took radiation measurements at Dr. Sugarman’s house. “But I’ve seen a few that might heat up your Cheerios a little.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/garden/24granite.html...


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Radon is stored in rock, so it's highly likely, though I'd think that countertops, which are only an inch or so at best, would have the gas released from the outer areas and would be trapped or slowly release from the inner areas. I don't know the physics involved, but it's an interesting issue.

Radon generally just needs to be vented - this is why it's a problem in basements (surrounded by rock and usually no venting) but I'd think a kitchen would be decently aired out on a regular basis.

 
Quote
rucognizant (505 posts)      Thu Jul-24-08 01:41 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. I've been watching...........
 those decorating shows...Trading spaces.Flip that House, Extreme Makeover etc. Seems to me that granite and travertine are 2008's pink and black checkerboard tile of the 50's.
Beyond that, Flip T H, Moving Up and First House,undoubrtedly have led some hell bent into the mortgage crisis, feeding the need to have a house.....
WHen so many houses are being forclosed, is this appropriate entertainment?
I'm sorry to hear about your friend!
This article prompts me to have radon testing done here. My farmhouse id=s built on a granite ledge. The former owner his son next door, and the man across the street all died of lung cancer!
As did my son after he had lived here with me for a year............... ( he had other contributing factors!)
The widows either side of me are hail & hearty! The lady across the street lived to be 102!
Quote
Mojorabbit  (1000+ posts)      Thu Jul-24-08 02:58 PM
Response to Original message
16. Crap
 I finished my dream kitchen five years ago with a lovely green granite.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3408083#3408089

I don't think I could live with the constant state of fear  that DUmmies seem to be in. Still it does take their minds off global warming.
Logged


Offline JohnnyReb

  • In Memoriam
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 32063
  • Reputation: +1998/-134
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2008, 04:18:31 PM »
Mordern homes built on a concrete slab have that to worry about. Live in a shack and it's no biggie.

Solution: have a lot of chaps, let'em fan the backdoor a lot, waste some energy and add to glowball warming.
Logged
“The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of ‘liberalism’, they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.” - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

"America is like a healthy body and its resistance is threefold: its patriotism, its morality, and its spiritual life. If we can undermine these three areas, America will collapse from within."  Stalin

Offline Chris_

  • Little Lebowski Urban Achiever
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 46845
  • Reputation: +2028/-266
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM »
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.
Logged
If you want to worship an orange pile of garbage with a reckless disregard for everything, get on down to Arbys & try our loaded curly fries.

Offline jukin

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16215
  • Reputation: +2101/-170
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2008, 05:32:41 PM »
Quote from: DefiantSix on July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.

I don't care who you are, that's funny.

HI5
Logged
When you are the beneficiary of someone’s kindness and generosity, it produces a sense of gratitude and community.

When you are the beneficiary of a policy that steals from someone and gives it to you in return for your vote, it produces a sense of entitlement and dependency.

Offline Happy Fun Ball

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2938
  • Reputation: +1033/-11
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2008, 05:37:14 PM »
Quote from: DefiantSix on July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.
Statistics also show that 100% of them will have come in contact at with dihydrogen monoxide at least once within a week of their deaths.
Logged

Offline djones520

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • Reputation: +181/-146
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2008, 05:38:31 PM »
Quote from: Happy Fun Ball on July 24, 2008, 05:37:14 PM
Quote from: DefiantSix on July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.
Statistics also show that 100% of them will have come in contact at with dihydrogen monoxide at least once within a week of their deaths.

Did you know that they've found dihydrogen monoxide in the formula that we feed our babies with?
Logged
"Chuck Norris once had sex in an 18 wheeler. Some of his semen dripped onto the engine. We now call that truck Optimus Prime."

Offline Lord Undies

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11388
  • Reputation: +639/-250
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2008, 06:10:47 PM »
Quote from: djones520 on July 24, 2008, 05:38:31 PM
Quote from: Happy Fun Ball on July 24, 2008, 05:37:14 PM
Quote from: DefiantSix on July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.
Statistics also show that 100% of them will have come in contact at with dihydrogen monoxide at least once within a week of their deaths.

Did you know that they've found dihydrogen monoxide in the formula that we feed our babies with?

Worse than that, I had my saliva tested.  It has high levels of dihydrogen monoxide.  My doctor said I will die one day.
Logged

Offline djones520

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4207
  • Reputation: +181/-146
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #7 on: July 24, 2008, 06:12:47 PM »
Quote from: Lord Undies on July 24, 2008, 06:10:47 PM
Quote from: djones520 on July 24, 2008, 05:38:31 PM
Quote from: Happy Fun Ball on July 24, 2008, 05:37:14 PM
Quote from: DefiantSix on July 24, 2008, 04:28:07 PM
Statistics show, 100% of Americans are going to DIE at the end of their life.

Women, kids and minorities will be hardest hit.
Statistics also show that 100% of them will have come in contact at with dihydrogen monoxide at least once within a week of their deaths.

Did you know that they've found dihydrogen monoxide in the formula that we feed our babies with?

Worse than that, I had my saliva tested.  It has high levels of dihydrogen monoxide.  My doctor said I will die one day.

Thats horrible news.  :(
Logged
"Chuck Norris once had sex in an 18 wheeler. Some of his semen dripped onto the engine. We now call that truck Optimus Prime."

Offline Carl

  • Global Moderator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 19835
  • Reputation: +1616/-100
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #8 on: July 24, 2008, 07:11:29 PM »
I grew up on a small dairy farm where the water source was a spring along a brook the cows drank from.
While milking them was subject to all kinds of tail swats after rollinf them in the manure gutter.

You wouldn`t want to know all the things I am immune from. :p
Logged

Offline miskie

  • Mailman for the VRWC
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 10461
  • Reputation: +1035/-54
  • Make America Great Again. Deport some DUmmies.
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #9 on: July 24, 2008, 07:47:05 PM »
I could use some granite countertops -- Ship them my way Dummy - I think I can deal with the radiation.. Oh and BTW, how can you afford granite counters, and then be able to afford to tear them right off in this H.B.E ?
Logged

Offline DixieBelle

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 12143
  • Reputation: +512/-49
  • Still looking for my pony.....
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #10 on: July 24, 2008, 08:44:11 PM »
Heck, I used to drink dihydrogen monoxide out of a water hose on the side of the house when I was a kid.
Logged
I can see November 2 from my house!!!

Spread my work ethic, not my wealth.

Forget change, bring back common sense.
-------------------------------------------------

No, my friends, there’s only one really progressive idea. And that is the idea of legally limiting the power of the government. That one genuinely liberal, genuinely progressive idea — the Why in 1776, the How in 1787 — is what needs to be conserved. We need to conserve that fundamentally liberal idea. That is why we are conservatives. --Bill Whittle

Offline Rebel

  • MAGA
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 16934
  • Reputation: +1384/-215
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #11 on: July 24, 2008, 08:46:21 PM »
I have granite countertops. I'm ok, figuratively speaking.  :-)

Now, who didn't know granite countertops gave off a radioactive signature? I thought this was common knowledge.  :whatever:
Logged
NAMBLA is a left-wing organization.

Quote
There's a reason why patriotism is considered a conservative value. Watch a Tea Party rally and you'll see people proudly raising the American flag and showing pride in U.S. heroes such as Thomas Jefferson. Watch an OWS rally and you'll see people burning the American flag while showing pride in communist heroes such as Che Guevera. --Bob, from some news site

Offline Lord Undies

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11388
  • Reputation: +639/-250
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #12 on: July 24, 2008, 09:15:21 PM »
Quote from: Rebel on July 24, 2008, 08:46:21 PM
I have granite countertops. I'm ok, figuratively speaking.  :-)

Now, who didn't know granite countertops gave off a radioactive signature? I thought this was common knowledge.  :whatever:

Radioactive gas is a more plentiful commodity than knowledge at the DUmp.  They'll smoke dust bunnies and rat droppings, but a granite countertop in the kitchen is just TOO DANGEROUS.   
Logged

Offline BlueStateSaint

  • Here I come to save the day, because I'm a
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 32553
  • Reputation: +1560/-191
  • RIP FDNY Lt. Rich Nappi d. 4/16/12
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #13 on: July 25, 2008, 04:08:40 AM »
Quote from: Lord Undies on July 24, 2008, 09:15:21 PM
Quote from: Rebel on July 24, 2008, 08:46:21 PM
I have granite countertops. I'm ok, figuratively speaking.  :-)

Now, who didn't know granite countertops gave off a radioactive signature? I thought this was common knowledge.  :whatever:

Radioactive gas is a more plentiful commodity than knowledge at the DUmp.  They'll smoke dust bunnies and rat droppings, but a granite countertop in the kitchen is just TOO DANGEROUS.   
:rotf: :lmao: :rotf: :lmao: H5!
Logged
"Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of Liberty." - Thomas Jefferson

"All you have to do is look straight and see the road, and when you see it, don't sit looking at it - walk!" -Ayn Rand
 
"Those that trust God with their safety must yet use proper means for their safety, otherwise they tempt Him, and do not trust Him.  God will provide, but so must we also." - Matthew Henry, Commentary on 2 Chronicles 32, from Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible

"These anti-gun fools are more dangerous to liberty than street criminals or foreign spies."--Theodore Haas, Dachau Survivor

Chase her.
Chase her even when she's yours.
That's the only way you'll be assured to never lose her.

Offline NHSparky

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 24431
  • Reputation: +1280/-617
  • Where are you going? I was gonna make espresso!
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #14 on: July 27, 2008, 08:13:30 AM »
Yeah, only a DUmmie would prefer a crappy looking Corian countertop to $100/sq ft granite.

Oh, and DUmmies?  The equivalent exposure from Radon in your home is NOTHING compared to what you get naturally, nevermind the exposure you give yourself from activities such as smoking, etc.  Yes, Radon is an alpha-emitter, but it is a GAS, and a noble gas at that, meaning if it doesn't decay inside your lungs, it ain't gonna hurt you.  And for the record, the half-life of Radon-222 is 3.8 days. 

Radon is basically only dangerous when it accumulates in low areas of your home with poor ventilation, such as your basement.  So unless she's cooking in her basement, she's a friggin loon.

Even if it decays, the amount of daughter products (Polonium, Lead, Bismuth) is so small, it won't poison you.  Frankly, this moonbat rips out granite countertops which MIGHT give her an increased exposure of a couple of millirem per year (the average American's naturally occuring dose is about 250-300 mr/yr), but thinks nothing of the products under that sink that could kill should the cabinet not be childproofed?

Finally, I wonder what she'd do if she found out how much easier it was for Radon to get into her water?  Radon filtering systems around here are very common.

Talk about misplaced priorities.
Logged
“Any man who thinks he can be happy and prosperous by letting the government take care of him better take a closer look at the American Indian.”  -Henry Ford

Offline Lauri

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3636
  • Reputation: +143/-18
Re: What’s Lurking in Your Countertop? (Granite countertops pose risk)
« Reply #15 on: July 27, 2008, 01:12:19 PM »
Quote from: miskie on July 24, 2008, 07:47:05 PM
I could use some granite countertops -- Ship them my way Dummy - I think I can deal with the radiation.. Oh and BTW, how can you afford granite counters, and then be able to afford to tear them right off in this H.B.E ?


did any of the DUmmies notice that this was a person with two homes.. ? the granite counter tops were in *HORROS* a summer home!

how can they have any compassion for a doctor who can afford that? he's a Fascist!!!

:-)
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »