[ RadSafe ] Radioactivity in Granite Countertops NYT had anarticle on the topic

Tue Feb 28 16:01:21 CST 2012

So, who should a concerned public listen to regarding the danger of granite 
counter-tops? The "voices in the wilderness" who post on radsafe, or the 
official authorities (NCRP, EPA, NRC, etc) who promote  LNT which holds that 
ANY radiation exposure (no matter how low) carries some degree of risk. 
Officially, there is no such thing as a safe level of radiation exposure.
Jerry Cohen

________________________________
From: Maury <maurysis at peoplepc.com>
To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu; Mike Brennan <Mike.Brennan at DOH.WA.GOV>
Sent: Tue, February 28, 2012 9:19:48 AM
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radioactivity in Granite Countertops NYT had anarticle 
on the topic

Geez, how else can we get a daily hormetic dose of irraniation -- 
admittedly it is a kinda' stony cot ........
Maury&Dog
==================================

On 2/28/2012 11:00 AM, Brennan, Mike (DOH) wrote:
> Granite countertops are a reoccurring issue in the radon biz.  People who can't 
>be bothered to test for radon assumed to be entering their home from the ground 
>become desperate to test their countertop for radon emission (something there is 
>no reasonable test for).  And when they hear that there is direct radiation, 
>too, their brains start to melt.
>
> I usually tell them that to get noticeable dose they would need to lay (lie?) 
>full length on their counter for most of each day.  And if they find that they 
>ARE spending that much time on a stone slab, perhaps they might want to examine 
>their lifestyle choices.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu 
>[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of parthasarathy k s
> Sent: Monday, February 27, 2012 8:26 PM
> To: The International Radiation Protection (Health Physics) Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radioactivity in Granite Countertops NYT had anarticle 
>on the topic
>
> Dear radsafers
>
>
> A few years ago there were a few articles in newspapers on the radiation levels 
>on the surface of granite counter tops. At least one of them was in the New York 
>Times. "Excess" radiation levels on some geological samples displayed in a 
>British Museum has led to convictions!
>
> In UK , granite containing regions are well known for high background radiation 
>levels.
>
> Regards
> Parthasarathy
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>   From: "JPreisig at aol.com"<JPreisig at aol.com>
> To: radsafe at health.phys.iit.edu
> Sent: Tuesday, 28 February 2012, 3:16
> Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Radioactivity in Granite Countertops
>
> Dear Stewart Farber,
>
>       Are these gammas from granite wimpy little gammas,  energetically
> speaking, or highly
> energetic????
>
>       Is it possible that your friend's granite counter  top has had a layer
> of plastic laminate
> applied over top of the granite????
>
>       Joe Preisig
>
>
>
> In a message dated 2/27/2012 1:41:57 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
> SAFarber at optonline.net writes:
>
> Does  anyone know if there some types of granite that contain NO enhanced
> levels  of natural radioactivity? This has never been my experience, but I'm
> no  geologist.
>
>
>
> I've done studies with high-pressure ionization  chambers in many places
>
> showing clearly elevated levels of radioactivity  contained in granite in
> construction throughout the Northeastern US as  indicated by elevated gamma
> dose rates of 20 micro-R/hr [200 nSv/hr] or  more  [ in close proximity to
> granite walls -approx. 1 foot distant]  vs. typical background dose rates 
> of
> about 8 micro-R/hr [ 80 nSv/hr]  for the area.
>
>
>
> Every HPIC measurement near granite I've made  around Boston [ at the
> Christian Science Church, South Station, Bunker Hill  Monument, steps of the
> MA Statehouse, granite Colonial era wharf  buildings]  or all around
>
> Westerly, RI [a town where almost every  building is made of granite], or in
> NH or Maine, or  the Harrisburg,  PA Capitol granite steps,  has shown about
> a doubling of background  dose rate measured with a HPIC a  foot  or so from
> the granite  used in construction.
>
>
>
> Another interesting measurement was of a  doubling of background dose rate
> near a large piece of Aswan red granite  from Egypt which was used to make a
> sarcophagus for a princess many  thousands of  years ago. This ancient
>
> granite ceremonial Egyptian  coffin is currently displayed in front of the
> Boston, MA Museum of  Science.
>
>
>
> All  granite mentioned  above would show  greatly elevated count rates when
> measured on contact with a standard  pancake GM like an Ludlum 44-9 or
> HP-360. 
>
>
>
> However, a  friend has recently installed granite countertops which shows
> background  rad levels on contact. So has my friend purchased "real" granite
> with all  the  natural radioactivity it "should" contain or has she been
> cheated  of her little bit of residual elevated U-238, Th-232, and  K-40
> radioactivity from the Big  Bang?
>
>
>
> Thoughts?
>
>
>
>
>
> Stewart  Farber
>
>
>
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