Environmental Impact

Due to the fact that some of the earliest structures made from ceramic tiles still exist and are currently in good condition demonstrates how durable ceramic tile can be if cared for properly. High traffic areas such as lobbies that have ceramic/porcelain tile flooring can last the entire lifetime of a building. The materials needed to produce ceramic/porcelain tiles are easily obtainable, as different types of clay are found everywhere in the world. All the materials used to manufacture ceramic/porcelain tiles come from natural resources.

China Clay (Kaolin) is a mineral mined as Kaolinite Ore in many parts of the world, usually by high water pressure techniques. The vast majority of it is used in the paper industry while the remainder of it is mostly used in the manufacturing of ceramics.

Ball Clay is used as a substitute for China clay or an additive to it and is used to bond the other tile components together. Feldspar is one of the Earth’s most common minerals consisting of aluminum and silica and is used to lower the melting point of other materials in the ceramic tile process. As well, sand is used as filler and it also stops shrinkage and cracking. Also, quartz is used to give the tiles a hardness property and also stops deformation during the firing process. Talc is also used as filler.

Choosing ceramic/porcelain tile is an environmentally sound choice since it is produced from natural clays. Ceramic/porcelain tile is also an economical option because it can withstand society’s demand and the Earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate it.

Ceramic/porcelain tiles do not emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) because there are no chemical reactions or special chemicals needed to produce tiles, unless a producer experiments with certain chemicals in the glaze without having concern for the indoor air quality. Ceramic/porcelain tile can also be laid with Portland-cement-based mortar, which does not give off any vapors and it requires almost no maintenance at all. Low-VOC sealants can also be used on ceramic tile if needed.