I think I’ve still got a few years to go before I’m on the lookout for green (eco-friendly, that is) countertops. However, from what I hear, Corian countertops may be the way to go if you’re in the market for these.
Why? Corian countertops (aka, solid surface countertops) have several features that make them relatively eco-friendly.
- For one, they are extremely durable and have extended life cycles, reducing waste and material use.
- Additionally, they typically contain pre-consumer recycled materials, putting recycle content to good, long-term use.
- And, if scratched, they can generally be easily repaired with a little buffing or scrubbing with a special scrubbing pad.
- Finally, Corian countertops have low VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) emissions (or, at least, the ones I have seen do), which is much better for your indoor air quality.
Natural minerals account for majority of the content in Corian countertops, from what I’ve read (not the recycled plastic part, of course). Two-thirds of the material is from natural minerals, and one-third from acrylic.
Furthermore, Corian countertops can easily be repaired and renewed, further boosting countertop lifespan. In addition, the synthetic material can be removed and re-cut, making it relatively easy to re-install as a new design or put into a whole new product.
“Pigments used to manufacture Corian® are US FDA-listed (United States Food and Drug Administration) and selected from materials free of heavy metals, toxic or carcinogenic ingredients,” a DuPont informational sheet notes.
With their potential for reuse, their long lifespan, their use of recycled content, and their low VOC emissions, it seems that Corian countertops certainly deserve consideration if you’re in the market for eco-friendly countertops.
What are your thoughts on this? Know of any other good, eco-friendly countertop options?
Image via Dupont
I'm the director of CleanTechnica, the most popular clean energy website in the world, and Planetsave, a leading green and science news site. I've been covering green news of various sorts since 2008, and I've been especially focused on solar energy, electric vehicles, bicycling, and wind energy for the past few years. You can also find my work on Scientific American, Reuters, Think Progress, GE's ecomagination site, several sites in the Important Media network, & many other places. To connect on some of your favorite social networks, go to zacharyshahan.com or click on some of the links below.
