http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/kitchbath/msg1015130819974.html?41

I see some of the same people doing the same attacks on anyone who dares bring up this issue. In this case, I have never met this lady who was sold the hot granite, although I understand my wife spoke to her today after she called. I do know her Radon tester, who is certified in the state of California, as well as being a certified industrial hygienist. You don’t get better credintials than that for addressing this issue.

Several points were brought up on the Gardenweb forum.

First off, I was very clear on which mR per year figures were with total radiation and which were Gamma only. Secondly, total radiation is included in the 100 mR yearly maximum additional dose, as they have the total radiation included in the 360 mR per year you get normally.

I did make a typo, it was potasium 40 not 38, the 38 pCi/G had me thinking 38 for some reasons. Not sure there is a Potassium 38! The total pCi/G for the Uranium and Thorium was around 113 with the potassium based radiation being only 38 pCi/G, thus my statement that the majority of the radiation was gamma based as Potassium emits only 11% of its radiation as gamma. I mentioned this to head off the often heard reply that the granite radiation is mostly potassium based and thus not dangerous.

But THE MOST TELLING THING about this unfortunate ladies delima is the fact that her fabricator is telling her that the granite must be cut into 6″ x 6″ squares to be removed. Anyone that has spent much time on Garden web will realize this is a bald faced lie, told to sway the consumer from her goal of removing the granite. We all have read stories of granite being removed, no doubt with some risk of breakage, but in this case it doesn’t matter, it just needs removed.

This fabricator has zero integrity in this matter, sorry to say, but it is the absolute truth. If he wanted to say the granite would be broken and contaminate the room, that might be be understandable, but to tell this lady that it MUST be cut into 6″ x 6″ squares, spreading radioactive dust all over her home, well that statement can not be supported nor can it be excused. He figures if it is removed, he owes her a new granite countertop and he will be fortunate if that is all this lady requires of him. A weeks labor to avoid a million dollar lawsuit is a cheap fix for this guy.

While I realize this fabricator might have done an excellent job with the original fabrication, he is now attempting to weasel out of his responsibility to ensure the products he fabricated and installled were of average safety. Now with this family living on a fixed retirement income, they should not be forced to bear the costs of this slab yard and this fabricator’s lack of professionalism in keeping abreast of their trade. This problem was known years ago, these businesses were simply ignorant or negligent.

And Jerseydeb wrote this about the controversy:

“There is far more radiation exposure walking around outside than you are going to get with these most commonly used granites. Most of the granites used in the home emit so little radon/radiation that it is near nil. Stay away from the ones that seem too high for your comfort level. What I read is that some imbedded minerals affect the test results. Stay away from those granites with a lot of those minerals, if this report bothers you. It depends on whether crystals point up or down. Seal the heck out of the granite, if you are still worried.”

Jersey Deb is either a granite industry plant or completely ignorant. Background radiation is usually around 6 or 7 uR/hr gamma, this granite was reported at 10 times that with Dosimeter readings, absolutely reliable, used in nuclear power plants and nuclear medicine to protect workers. I would hardly call 10 times background radiation “nil”.

Then she says “most granites emit almost nil radiation. A bald faced lie. Few granites emit less than double background radiation, most are three to four times background, five to ten times is common, and I have seen 200 times background from some granite.

Then remember that scientists agree that small hand held meters can only read 2 to 3% of the total radiaton HITTING the meter, not counting the radiation that is headed away from the meter!

And “stay away from these granites”? How can she do that if she isn’t warned? And she tries to warn others about the issues, and some try to shout her down? Get real! Then Jersey deb claims “it depends on whether the crystals point up or down”? Where in the heck did she find that info? Completely ridiculous, so much so that one should use her as the poster girl for proving the case of just how low some in the stone industry will go.

Finally, Jersy deb tells this lady to “seal the heck out of the grainte”? Like that will help? Gamma can penetrate almost everything, even lead. Did you know that 4 inches of lead will stop only around 87% of Gamma radiation? Sealer won’t do squat, nor does it stop the Radon according to the leading experts on these matters.

In short, Jersy deb is so ignorant that she ought to just keep her mouth shut or worse, she is a granite industry member joining in to shout this lady down. Either way, it is a complete shame that someone who is merely concerned about this issue to be treated in this manner.

This lady is completely justified with her concern for her husbands health after all his previous exposures and the usuall suspects on gardenweb are raking her over the coals in a twisted attempt to damage her credibility.

Shame on gardenweb for allowing this to continue after all the proof that has been provided.