COUNTERTOPS: More on EnviroGLAS & IceStone eco-friendly countertops

Since our first postings, many of you have written and asked us about the difference(s) between the EnviroGLAS and IceStone countertop offerings. (Note these are the products we’ve discussed previously in our EnviroGLAS and IceStone article). After short discussions with both manufacturers, we wanted to provide you further information on these great eco-friendly stone alternatives for your kitchen and/or bathroom remodel!

The EnviroSLAB from EnviroGLAS is made from 100% recycled glass, and this glass comprises 75% of the total countertop. An ‘agricultural-based epoxy resin binder’ bonds the materials together and makes up the remaining ingredients. The countertop requires no sealing. When no sealing is required then there is less effort at installation, and less maintenance over the life of the product. EnviroGLAS in manufactured in Texas, and recycled materials the U.S. The EnviroGLAS team has done an independent assessment of their products, and you can the read the LEED report here. EnviroGLAS’s EnviroSLAB retails for $50 per square ft. for the materials, and installation varies depending on your local contractor rates.

The IceStone residential countertop surfaces are made from 100% recycled glass, and like EnviroSLAB this glass makes up 75% of the product. Cement bonds the glass together, and thus requires sealing – IceStone recommends annually on their website. The product is plastic free and VOC-free. The product is Petrochemical free, and IceStone is working to on using soy-based lubricants in all of their manufacturing processes in their U.S. based factory in New York. As far as green certifications and processes, IceStone has gone a green step further, and received MBDC’s Cradle to Cradle Silver Certification* for the IceStone durable surface, and the production processes used to produce it. IceStone compares their pricing to mid-to-high end granite, and notes that fabrication and installation very depending on your local contractor rates.

More on McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC): MBDC is a private consultancy recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as providing a legitimate tool to help architects and designers select building and interior products that impact/impact less on human health, on the environmental and on life cycle attributes. Cradle to Cradle Certification is now included within USGBC’s LEED Green Building Rating System, and eligible for earning “Innovation in Design” points.

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