Most countertops in homes are made from stone such as marble
and granite. This stone has to be mined from quarries that scare the earth's
surface permanently. The creation of countertops that low impact on the environment
will eliminate this need to mine stone. Three types of recycled countertops are
now available in the U.S.
market. The first is a countertop made from recycled paper, paper pulp, and hemp
from managed forests. The paper is layered and woven together to form a
countertop that is as strong as stone.
A second variety of recycled countertop is made from
recycled glass. Glass is taken from curbside recycling, windshields, and old
windows and melted down to make up about 85% of a new countertop. The last type
of countertop is made from recycled plastic from items such as plastic bottles,
old pipes, and plastic bags. Again the material is melted down to create
countertops that have been shown to be as strong and durable as stone
countertops. To find out more information on these countertops please visit the
National Building Museum's
Green House Exhibit in Washington D.C. or visit the
Richlite,
Counter
Production Vetrazzo , or
3form websites.
