Many cabinets and countertops are made with materials that emit toxic chemicals like formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds, or VOCs.
Plastic Laminate (known as P-Lam) is a common countertop and cabinet material. It is a composite product made from layers of paper and often various formaldehyde-based resins, pressed together to form a rigid sheet.
You can feel confident with quartz because it doesn't have any foreign substances that might be hurtful to your health or the environment. The non-porous surface also reduces contaminants like mold spores, pesticides, and other chemicals. Check for third-party certifications to ensure the safety of your surface.
Quartz can be more expensive than other countertops but is generally cheaper than natural stone and other luxury options. It does require professional installation and can discolor when exposed to high temperatures and extensive heat for long periods.
Inhalation over long periods will cause silicosis where fibrosis of the lungs causes shortness of breath and can lead to death in severe cases. Over exposure to silica weakens the body's defense mechanisms. Because of the abundance of silica, potential hazards are widespread.
Quartz (Engineered Stone)
It's an easy-to-clean material that is resistant to mold, mildew, and bacteria, making it a great choice for the kitchen where food is prepared. Due to the non-porous design, you don't need to worry about sealing the countertop regularly.
This scientific reality has caused worry for some homeowners, who wonder if granite installation can compromise their families' health and safety. But although it may sound alarming, numerous studies have shown that there is no real cause for concern. Granite is still very much a safe and popular choice for your home.
All granite, and most earthen materials, contain trace amounts of uranium and radium, emit gamma radiation and release radon gas.
Although quartz countertops will have less to zero radon, it does not preclude granite as a “less safe” choice in kitchen countertops. Given the radiation naturally encountered through flying, walking around a city, and living your everyday life, it is not significant enough to discourage granite in the household.
You could be considering finishing, maintenance, staining, durability, color, or any other of the number of aspects that come with different countertop options. But when it comes to specific interests, namely doing high level cooking in the kitchen, top chefs in the world prefer granite countertops.
Most low and mid-range cabinet brands construct their cabinets with medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, or chipboard. Cabinets made of these materials involve pieces that have to be glued together—and that cabinet glue often contains formaldehyde.
Unfortunately, the adhesive solution used for fabrication in the decorative laminate itself contains a significant amount of formaldehyde.
During fabrication operations such as sawing, sanding, drilling, routing, cutting, etc. dust consisting of cured resin, paper fiber and minute amounts of formaldehyde are generated at the point of operation.
Quartz Countertops
Quartz is one of the strongest materials you can use, making it one of the best-value countertops available. Both scratch- and stain-resistant, quartz countertops can look brand new for years even after withstanding heavy usage.
Quartz. Currently the most popular choice in kitchen countertops, homeowners choose quartz surfacing because of its many advantages. Quartz doesn't need to be sealed, and its seams blend very well.
Granite and quartz offer much more heat resistance, with granite being the most heat-friendly. It's still best to use heating pads and avoid direct heat to protect your countertops, but the risk is far less than with laminate.
Respirable crystalline silica, primarily quartz dusts occurring in in- dustrial and occupational settings, is known to be a human carcino- gen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans.
Nonporous materials do not have any entrance points for germs, making it nearly impossible for quartz countertops to host bacteria, mold, or mildew. High-quality antimicrobial quartz countertops can give homeowners peace of mind, especially if they spend a lot of their free time in the kitchen.
Quartz and granite contain varying amounts of uranium, thorium, and potassium, which are naturally radioactive. Uranium and thorium decay to a radioactive gas, radon, which in turn decays to other radionuclides.
Durability
– Granite is much more heat resistant than quartz. – Granite scratches less easily than quartz.
It's bacteria-free, non-porous, very resilient, and non-porous. Consequently, it will need less maintenance and upkeep than granite. However, the look of quartz is uniform and although it imitates natural stones, it comes in well-established colors and designs.
Quartz is actually harder than granite and thus, more durable. In fact, quartz is nearly indestructible, and because it isn't porous like granite, it's easy to keep your countertops relatively bacteria-free. Be careful with cooking pans though: Quartz can be damaged by excessive heat, so use heating pads at all times.