I guess Dale S. doesn't want this to harm his pocketbook. Let's look at how his reason is lacking.
1) EVERY granite fabricator will have some dry operations such as rodding, field work, and wet cutting doesn't eliminate all the dust, depends on the operation being done. Even then there are many instances of 100% wet shops failing their silica tests, usually caused by poor housekeeping. Last Friday I took a visiting scientist to look at some shops, including one well equipped wet shop that had dust all over the floor, nearby countertops, workbenches, everywhere. As soon as the floor dries out, the dust is airborne anyway. Keeping the shop clean means constantly cleaning so none of the dust can ever get airborne. That costs money, Dale would rather depend on his Workers Comp to shield him from claims, yet he doesn't understand that once this issue is known, he is required to do due dilligence to protect his workers or the Comp won't prevent him from being sued by an exposed worker.
2) Absolutely wrong. Every almost every stone producing continent has granite coming in over the safe limits, Asia, Africa, South America, even Austrailia has stone that would be a problem were it popular here in the U.S.. As for the African stone that Dale claims NO ONE sells, it is imported by G & L Marble out of Atlanta, distributed by Bedrock International, Midwest Tile and Marble, AG&M, and just about every other wholesaler out there. Bordeaux is one of the worst, a Brazilian stone, with the majority of the slabs being over safe limits. There are some low level slabs, but they are not that common.
The problem is bad enough that the European Union has regulations on granite countertop materials (20 uR/hr max, about three times Oklahoma background radiation levels) and even China has regulations requiring third party testing and consumer labeling of all granite products, along with maximum levels of radiation for different building types.
There are about 20 stones with major radiation problems, and some are popular colors. Dale asks "Why would we take the chance?" Because of the huge profit margin, a block can be turned into slabs for around $4.00 per square foot down in Brazil, even less for some types of stone, then sold wholesale here in the U.S. for $9.00 to $30.00 per square foot. Chinese stone can be landed here in the U.S. preworked into vanities or kithchen tops for less than $3.00 per square foot. Bordeaux is an excellent example of a problem stone, a 55 square foot slabs costs $220.00 to produce and load on a container, then wholesales at $20.00 per foot miniumum, or $1,100.00, an $880.00 gross profit. Now figure a bundle of ten slabs, $8,8000 gross profit per bundle.
Then Dale takes that $20.00 per foot material and resells it for $70.00 per square foot, grossing $2,000.00 to $3,000.00 per slab. Sell a two slab job which takes maybe 60 man hours to produce (@ $30.00 per hour shop rate, $1,800.00 ) and you have a net profit of $2,200.00 to $3,800.00 for that 2 slab job.
That is why he "takes the chance." And the risk was paying off really well till the truth started coming out.
As to the vast majority of colors being tested, if we have learned one thing over the last year is that there are no bad colors, just bad slabs. ALL slabs must be tested prior to sale. Even ordinary stones like Baltic Brown or Sant Cecilia have been known to have the occasional hot slab.
3) Yes, the ground gives off radon as well as some concrete. In minute amounts in most cases and not many people have dirt floors in their home. Notice that Dale completely sidestepped the issue, bringing up granite radon, then discussing soil radon. At the Health Physics Society convention, Dr. Steck reported that after surveying over 400 slabs of granite, he finds that 10% will need radon testing prior to purchase, and that 5% of all granite types will be of concern in a small home or an energy efficient home. Yes, enough ventilation will limit the build up of radon in a home, but do you really want to put in a granite countertop that requires you to exhaust one third of the home's air every hour? Maybe in California, but how about in Houston Texas, New York, or Florida? What is that going to cost you each year in heating and air conditioning costs?
And do you realize that while using a granite top, you get a snoot ful of concentrated radon before it dissapates into the room?
4) First off, "there" referres to a place, "their" denotes possession. Next instead of discussing the issues, you resort to a personal attack, immediately proving you lack any other method of winning the debate. If I have been "proven innaccurate" why did the CRCPD send out that nation wide warning? As one of the three researchers listed in the paper as well as one of the three researchers listed as authors of the HPS convention presentation, I'd say I have been proven right all along. Then there is that pesky AARST/CRCPD convention coming up in September with six (6, count em) papers or presentations on granite countertop risks to the general public. The panel discussion on Tuesday? Three PhD's, one Industrial Hygienist, one Health Physcist, and "proven innaccurate" Al. What you don't know is that I was the guy that was asked by AARSt to set up the discussion, I recruited the experts from my email list (except for the HP), I wrote the abstract, submitted it, then a demand was made by AARSt to get one of the MIA's scientists there to answer questions cause they got some "splaining" to do.
And the MIA is impartial? Are ya friggin nuts? Are we talking about the organization that paid Professor Langmuir to claim only one atomic decay per year per countertop? Are we talking about the same organization that has been stomping down this discussion since 1995, the same organization that put a picture of a baby playing with granite blocks on their radon brocure last year? The one that hired Cohne & Wolfe, one of the largest big tobacco PR firms to attempt to limit the public relations damage? I would guess Cohne & Wolfe would know the arguements on low level radiation and cancer, but was it a wise choice to be associated?
And your second to last paragraph was close to correct, it is your bottom line that drives your thinking. Despite seeing the CRCPD, AARST, Health Physics Society, and the EPA changing sides on the issues, you still don't think there is any evidence? The EPA realized the truth of the issues last year, three days after they sided with the MIA they rescinded their statement, then set up a six page website covering the issues. At that point our science wasn't complete, it is now, and that is what caused the government agencies to become concerned.
And you attack me personally, then pre label any response as an "attack"? Then again, personal attacks is all you got my friend cause the facts are completely against your position.
Enjoy your profits Dale. One commenter on a blog put it best, "There will be a special place in Hell for those that willing sell a radioactive countertop to a family".