Inside the showroom at Amsum & Ash, a natural stone wholesaler in Fridley, there is granite in just about every pattern imaginable.

And if you've built, or rebuilt, or just stood inside a kitchen lately, you don't need Zach Hallberg to tell you how popular granite countertops have become.

"For the most part, it's the aesthetic of the granite that sells it," he said.

But in the past week, Hallberg, who is the company's chief operations officer, said he's been fielding a few phone calls from customers who have concerns about the stylish and durable rock.

"It hasn't been an enormous volume of calls," he said. "An average of 4-5 homeowners a day or so."

The calls started coming in after The New York Times reported there are "allegations" that granite may emit dangerous levels of the radioactive gas radon.

But the allegations, the Times noted, "have been raised mostly by makers and distributors of competing countertop materials."

People calling Hallberg want to know if they should rip out their countertops, because radon in high levels can cause lung cancer.

Granite contains uranium, which can release radon as it breaks down.

But is it enough radon to hurt someone? The Environmental Protection Agency says it "does not believe sufficient data exist to conclude that the types of granite commonly used in countertops are significantly increasing indoor radon levels."

For his part, Zach Hallberg said he would take the countertops out of his own kitchen if he thought there was a real danger.

"Oh, I certainly would," he said.

He noted his wife is eight months pregnant and added: "I'd get a new job," if he thought granite was dangerous.

So what should you do? The EPA says radon in homes typically comes from the soil, and it's always a good idea to have your home tested, no matter what kind of countertops you might have.