Quartz Made in USA Gets A+
Quartz Produced in the USA Gets A+
Cambria produces the only quartz countertop made in the USA and lives up to their mantra: Live Green, Live Life, Live Cambria. American made quartz equals less of a carbon footprint with regard to transporting the product. “At Cambria, we are committed to environmental responsibility in both our product offerings and businesses practices,” says a Cambria spokesman.
They’re not kidding.
Their quartz is nonporous which means harsh chemicals are not necessary to seal or polish the surface. Cambria is certified GREENGUARD for children and Schools certified. GREENGUARD is a nonprofit organication that oversees acceptable indoor air standards for indoor products. In addition to their product being green, they run a very green office and plant. One hundred percent of the water used in the production process is recycled! Their fleet of vehicles is hybrid, their shipping crates are recycled and scrap material is collected and used as road base for local construction projects. I'm impressed!
In addition there is an on-site drainer pond that they use to water and beautify the plant grounds. All office waste is recycled including computers and batteries. Quartz is a popular choice for kitchen countertops because it is maintenance free and stain resistant - that means no wine stains or grape juice stains. It's even impervious to coffee and nail polish! In addition, as the strongest natural stone found on the Earth's surface, it is durable. Cambria gets an A+ for being kitchen friendly and for it's impressive green efforts!
Best, Maureen (Susan's assistant)
Thursday, May 1, 2008 at 01:32PM
Reader Comments (11)
I like that sink really cool but is it functional. http://www.ancientcitycon.com
We just finished up a kitchen remodel (IKEA, please don't throw rocks it's what we could afford) and we chose the exact counter you chose for your picture. It is the Cambria Welshpool Black and we LOVE IT! Here is a link if anyone wants to see more shots of the Welshpool Black: http://thicketquicket.com/blog/?cat=46
I chose Cambria for all the reasons you listed here, what a great company! I was especially attracted to no maintenance, everyone kept trying to talk me into granite, glad I didn't listen ;)
Great post, Maureen! Looking forward to hearing more from you. :)
Mary - thank you for your kind words, I look forward to bringing you all exciting new products and information. Best, Maureen
Marc - great minds think alike! Although I just love that sink, I'm not sure it would be your primary one, I'm thinking not so user friendly for pots, pans and cookies sheets. However, maybe someone who owns one, can give us the inside SCOOP! Best, Maureen
This is beautiful ! Maybe in my next home !
Dear Maureen, interesting article about Cambria quartz countertops....are they mixed with a resin similar to
Caesarstone/Silestone...this makes me very nervous..remember how
"safe" nalgene water bottles were suppposed to be an now we
discover that they leach and are being recalled!!!...my understanding is that the
quartz is ground and must be mixed with a resin to be formed into slabs...
we really don't know the long term effects of this "green"
product.afterall, they are not ALL natural....I'm sticking with natural stone..stains and all..
thanks for your good work..Angela
Angela, when I was researching which counters were to go in our new kitchen I actually found some disturbing articles on natural stones off-gassing radon, particularly granite. I wonder if anything is "really" safe. You can google granite + radon and find many articles on this. There is a regulated study going on in the Houston area as well.
Thanks Ashley, you are right...nothing is truly "green"...I'm
using Vermont slate, untreated.....I also understand that many granite and
marble manufacturers from China, use LEAD to polish the surfaces which
according to my fabricator saves them 30% in production costs but also leaches... since there is no one to regulate this who would know??? One must just dive in I suppose...
Keep up the good work, Angela
Angela,
could you give more info on that lead polishing process? I haven't heard of that and would love to follow it up.
There is usually large amounts of lead in granite anyway, keeping in mind that much of the radioactive elements decay into lead eventually. Plenty of other heavy metals as well that will leach when in contact with water or cleaning products, even oxygen will leach out uranium.
Most of your quartz products (that we have tested) including Cambria have little if any Radon or radiation, so they are safe from that standpoint.
The BPA that leaches out of water bottles and baby bottles? It is also found in a lot of granite resins and expoxies for the seams, so check the MSDS sheets before purchasing. Quartz and solid surface (both acrylic and polyester types) do not use BPA in their resins and both are inert upon curing, so there is no problems there. Acrylic solid surface is the same product that dentists use, tested to death for safety.
Good article, good comments here.
I've only now seen this post and love the gorgeous sink - functionality issues aside! I've Googled Cambria and curved sink but cannot find this sink anywhere. Any ideas?
Thx - Amy