Sustainability
Metropolitan Ceramics® quarry products are one of the longest lasting flooring products available. In fact, a recent study conducted by the Tile Council of North America found quarry tile to be the best value among competing floor covering products based specifically on the price and longevity of the product. ‘Cradle to Grave’ is fast becoming the standard by which the sustainability of building products is measured. This concept puts focus on the entire life cycle of a product. Metropolitan® quarry tile is an excellent cradle to grave product because it is mined at a close proximity to the manufacturing site, it can last for many years and even centuries, and it can be recycled as a roadbed material with no negative impact to the environment at the end of its life cycle.
|
Durability Testing Data
Manufacturing for long wear in demanding applications, Metropolitan Ceramics® unglazed ceramic quarry tile meets or exceeds the following standards relating to sustainability.
|
| Specification |
Test |
Standard |
Result |
| Abrasion Resistance |
ASTM C501 |
Index of 35 or better |
Metropolitan tests at >80 or Better |
| Absorption - 5 hour boil |
ASTM C373 |
5% |
Metropolitan tests at 3% maximum and qualities as vitreous. |
| Breaking Strength |
ASTM C649 |
Min. 250 lbs. |
Metropolitan tests at 400 lbs. or better. |
| Compressive Strength |
ASTM C67 |
No industry standard |
Metropolitan tests at 10,000P.S.I. or better. |
| Facial Size Variation |
ASTM C499 |
Average facial dimension
of each tile not to exceed 4% from nominal dimension(s) |
Metropolitan meets the standard. |
| Freeze/ Thaw |
ASTM C67 |
No industry standard |
Metropolitan internal standard is 15 cycles |
| Metropolitan quarry tile is a natural product with through-the-body color that will not wear off. |
|
During Installation and Once Installed
Metropolitan Ceramics® quarry tile can be installed and sealed with inert products, providing air quality advantages during installation. The low absorption, kiln-fired, natural materials that make up Metropolitan® quarry tile produce no off-gassing sometimes associated with other ‘soft’ flooring products. Metropolitan Ceramics® quarry tile is neither an ‘original source’ nor a source for ‘absorbed’ volatile organic chemicals.
Metropolitan® quarry tile will not contribute to the growth of mold and bacteria. Floor coverings make up a large percentage of surface space in a building, and a Metropolitan® quarry tile floor, when properly installed and maintained, will help contribute to a healthy work and living environment.
Other possible sources of VOCs are the cleaning products required to clean some surface materials. Metropolitan Ceramics® quarry tile can be cleaned using non-toxic, water-based
cleaners.
The Manufacturing Process
• All unfired clay is reground into our finished products.
• 100% of the glaze waste from our glazed product line is reused in our quarry tile body.
• Glaze waste water is reused.
• The heat from our kilns is also a heat source for our dryers.
• Our fired scrap is an inert material and is made available for use in making roadbeds, as well as being ground and reused in our finished quarry tile products.
• All quarry field tile cartons (with the exception of the 4x12 tray, which is 32%) are 100% recycled material. All quarry trim cartons are 32% recycled material. All cartons are recyclable.
• We use the most energy efficient production equipment available.
|
Recycled Content Chart
The following chart contains percentages of pre-consumer recycled material defined as follows: Pre-consumer recycled material is a waste product of a manufacturing process, diverted from the waste stream and not normally used by industry during the original manufacturing process.
The following manufacturing waste streams, previously disposed of as waste, are now
recovered and returned to our manufacturing process: • unfired clay • fired scrap • glaze waste • glazed waste water
 |
Metropolitan Ceramics® and LEED
The use of Metropolitan Ceramics® products may contribute to the following LEED points and LEED certification.
Metropolitan Ceramics® is manufactured in Canton, Ohio U.S.A.
Below is a map showing cities within a 500 mile radius of the Metropolitan Ceramics®
manufacturing facility. Also, our raw materials are mined within 50 miles of our facility.
LEED 5.1 = 1 Point
Regional Materials:
• 10% of building materials manufactured regionally, within 500 miles of the project.
LEED 5.2 = 1 Point
Regional Materials: (in addition to 5.1)
• 20% of building materials manufactured regionally, within 500 miles of the project.
LEED 4.1 = 1 Point
Material resource for recycled content:
• 10% of building materials must be recycled materials based on the cost of total value of the materials in the project.
• The recycled content value shall be determined by weight.
• Recycled material content shall be composed of the sum of post-consumer content, and one-half of the pre-consumer content.
LEED 4.2 = 1 Point
Material resource for recycled content (in addition to 4.1):
• 20% of building materials must be recycled materials based on the cost of total value of the materials in the project.
• The recycled content value shall be determined by weight.
• Recycled material content shall be composed of the sum of post-consumer content, and one-half of the pre-consumer content. |
