About HomeStarsEco-Friendly Countertops Available Near You.
If you’re searching for a new countertop and are leaning towards something that’s a little kinder on the earth than laminate or stone, there are now plenty of options available that have many “green” elements to them.
Stainless steel counter tops consist of, on average,75% recycled steel and can contain up to 100% recycled content. They emit no VOCs, are non-porous and antibacterial. However, they do show fingerprints and scratch easily.
Stainless steel countertops are available in Toronto at: Perfect Stainless, Serious Stainless and other retail stores.
Alkemi Textured and Classic Finish
Alkemi Countertops: Alkemi countertops are made from 35% “fine flake aluminum milling scrap” a post-industrial waste products. It is available in 12 colours and three different surface treatments (Textured, Classic and Honed).
Available in Toronto through Green Design Studio.
Recycled glass: There are plenty of recycled glass countertops on the market these days. Each of them has their own unique charm.
Icestone
IceStone: is an American product, made in Brooklyn consisting of 100% glass which is otherwise bound for landfill, mixed with concrete to create a surface that is twice as durable as marble. Like a stone product, it does need to be sealed on a regular basis. It is available in a variety of colours.
Bio Glass in Oriental Jade
Bio Glass: is 100% recycled and recyclable glass. It is available in six natural colours and can be used for backsplashes or countertops.
Paperstone is a material made from either 100% post-consumer cardboard or 100% post-consumer office paper mixed with a non-oetroleum based resin. It can be used for as kitchen and bathroom countertops and comes in a variety of colours.
IceStone, Bio Glass and Paperstone are available through The Surface Group Inc., Uniform Custom Countertops Inc., The Zero Point, Green Design Studio, and other retailers.
To see reviews of countertop retailers, go to HomeStars’ Countertop retailers category.
Posted by CathyR
June 25th, 2009 at 7:48 am
I have worked with both Alkemi and IceStone and they are great green products. They are really cool looking and customers love them
October 26th, 2009 at 3:05 am
I’ve heard, that granite countertops are health hazard. It’s true?
October 26th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Hello,
The “health hazard” issue related to granite countertops refers to whether or not granite countertops contain radon, a radioactive odorless and colourless gas that can cause lung cancer. It came to the forefront of attention a few years ago when the New York Times did an article on a couple in New Jersey with a radon problem that was traced back to their countertops. In most cases, high radon levels in homes usually occurs in the soil, and therefore any area that is not properly sealed from the outside, such as a dirt basement. There is conflicting information on whether granite countertops pose a health risk or not. For more information on radon in granite, go to these resources:
http://solidsurfacealliance.org/G-radioactivity-radon-issues.html
http://iaq.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/iaq.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=5103&p_created=1212758208&p_sid=qQmTaU9j&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD0yMSwyMSZwX3Byb2RzPTM3MCZwX2NhdHM9JnBfcHY9MS4zNzAmcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=&p_topview=1
July 7th, 2010 at 5:01 am
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July 7th, 2010 at 5:01 am
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