Recycled Glass Surfaces: Binders, Recycled Content and How to Specify Them

Recycled glass surfaces are not a single material. The documents we read describe three different constructions that share a recycled raw material: slabs in which glass pieces are bound with Portland cement, slabs in which glass is bound with polyester resin, and mosaic tiles pressed from recycled glass powder and fired. This profile covers those three, as architectural surfaces such as countertops, vanities, wall and floor finishes and pool linings. It does not cover foamed glass insulation, glass wool or recycled-glass aggregate, for which we opened no document; the sub-scope was chosen because these products have manufacturer documents we could open.

We read manufacturer data sheets, fabrication and care guides, safety data sheets, a declaration of performance, third-party verified environmental product declarations (EPDs), one independent laboratory report and catalogue pages of standards (not the paid texts), and each section says which. For cement as a binder in other contexts see low carbon concrete and geopolymer concrete; for another wall-tile material see cork wall tiles.

What are recycled glass surfaces made of?

Cement-bound slabs

Vetrazzo's September 2017 data sheet says its Classic Collection combines up to 85 % recycled glass with Portland cement, water and proprietary inert ingredients such as minerals, pigments and other non-VOC substances, in panels of about 9 ft by 5 ft and 3 cm thickness weighing about 15 lb/ft².^[8] IceStone's December 2023 product data describes slabs of 108 by 60 in at 1.25 in made from recycled glass, Portland cement and pigments, at 15.155 lb/ft², and says its slabs are made "without any petrochemicals or resins".^[1][4] IceStone's HPD lists the glass at 55 to 75 %, Portland cement at 15 to 30 %, water at 5 to 15 % and pigment at 0 to 7 %.^[6] IceStone says its slabs are fabricated and installed similarly to natural stone, and Vetrazzo's September 2017 fabrication guide says equipment used for granite fabrication may be used and strongly recommends diamond saw blades and core bits.^[1][9]

Resin-bound slabs

Compac's EPD describes Obsidiana as an agglomerated stone made with recycled glass and mirror (more than 90 %), polyester resin and additives, and lists the process as mixing with resins and pigments, pressing, curing at 90 °C, cutting, calibrating and polishing.^[18] Its declaration of performance is written for "modular tiles of agglomerated stone for internal use" under EN 15285 and EN 15286; BSI's catalogue lists BS EN 15285:2008 (modular tiles for flooring and stairs) and BS EN 15286:2013 (slabs and tiles for wall finishes) as current, and we read the catalogue pages, not the standards.^[16][22][23] The EPD's installation scenario assumes 95 % of the product is used as countertops and 5 % in floors, walls or columns.^[18]

Fired glass mosaics

The SQ Mosaic and ONIX EPDs describe tiles made from 100 % recycled pre-consumer glass ground to powder, mixed with additives and pigments, pressed, decorated and fired in electric roller kilns, then assembled on meshes; the tiles are 4.3 to 5.5 mm thick and weigh 9.1 to 11.8 kg/m² depending on format.^[19][20] The EPDs say installation uses cementitious adhesive and grout (the scenario for the reference product is 2 kg of adhesive cement and 1 kg of grout per m²) and model the end of life as 100 % landfill with no recycling.^[19]

What does "recycled content" mean in these documents?

The word covers different things. Vetrazzo's fabrication guide describes recycled glass from "both post-consumer and post-industrial sources" such as beverage bottles, windows, windshields and traffic-light lenses, and its earlier data sheet gives the pre-consumer and post-consumer split of the glass for each colour, from Bistro Green (0 % pre-consumer, 100 % post-consumer) to Cobalt Skyy (76.1 % and 23.9 %).^[9][12] IceStone's colour table shows mostly post-industrial glass.^[1] The mosaic EPDs state pre-consumer glass, footnoted as post-industrial scrap, and Compac's EPD marks its recycled glass and mirror as post-consumer in the content table while the product description gives only "more than 90 %".^[19][20][18] Each document also measures against a different base: Vetrazzo's "up to 85 %" is glass in the slab, its fabrication guide says up to 83 % recycled materials, and the mosaic EPDs' "100 % recycled glass" refers to the glass component, which is 8.93 of 9.10 kg per m² in the reference product.^[8][9][19] The table shows the statements side by side without deciding between them.

How do the documented properties compare?

The table shows only values printed in the manufacturers' own documents, with the standard exactly as printed. The cement-bound manufacturers cite ASTM methods (IceStone's guide specification titles those it cites as tests for dimension stone, hydraulic cement mortars and concrete; Vetrazzo's sheets print designations only); Compac cites the EN 14617 series, which its earlier data sheet titles as agglomerated-stone test methods, and, in 2025, ASTM methods for some values. We read no ASTM or EN text. The designations printed for flexural values (ASTM C293, ASTM C-203, ASTM C99 and EN 14617-2) differ, so no row is a like-for-like comparison and we rank none. Vetrazzo's values come from documents dated September 2017 or earlier.^{[1][2][8][14]} The mosaics are not in the table: their EPDs describe "null water absorption" and resistance to thermal shock, frost and chemicals in words, and we opened no data sheet with numbers.^[19][20]

Unit conversions (ours): 890 psi is about 6.1 MPa, 950 psi about 6.6 MPa and 1,004 psi about 6.9 MPa; 13,000 to 16,000 psi is about 90 to 110 MPa. Documents differ with themselves and each other in these ways, shown here without deciding:

• Vetrazzo. The September 2017 data sheet prints compressive strength 5,410 psi (ASTM C579-12), absorption 0.79 % (ASTM C413-12) and Mohs hardness 6.5 for the glass and 4.75 for the matrix; the earlier undated sheet prints 6,295 psi (ASTM C39), 0.79 % (ASTM C-97-02) and Mohs 7.5 for the glass.^[8][12] The newer sheet also says its results are valid for every Classic Collection colour and finish.^[8]
• IceStone. IceStone's own documents contradict each other on two values. The Product Data (updated December 2023) and the Fabrication Guidelines (version 6.1, 2025) print chemical durability for ASR reactivity (ASTM C-1260) as "0.49% 300 cycles" and freeze-thaw (ASTM C-666) as 0.05 %; the Guide 3-Part Specification (20 December 2023) prints ASR as 0.05 percent expansion and freeze-thaw as 0.49 percent expansion over 300 cycles, and labels ASTM C666 "(Superseded)" in its reference list.^[1][3][2] We could not tell which pairing is right and use neither value elsewhere on this page; a cycle count would fit a freeze-thaw test better than an ASR test, but that is our reading, not a statement in the documents.
• Compac. The 2025 sheet prints 0.02 to 0.05 % absorption with W4, abrasion 30 to 33 mm and density 2,250 to 2,300 kg/m³; the earlier undated sheet prints 0.04 to 0.06 %, 33 to 34 mm and "2250 - 2350" with the unit g/cm3 (values of that size fit kg/m³, so we read the unit as a misprint), and gives pendulum values of 13 wet and 44 dry for "Polish", where the 2025 sheet and the declaration of performance give 9 wet and 40 dry for the polished finish and 13 and 44 for Glacé; the declaration of performance gives class W3 for absorption and class F4 for flexural strength.^[14][15][16] Both data sheets say the values are typical and not binding.^[14][15]

What do the environmental declarations say?

Only three of the products have an EPD in what we read. Compac's Obsidiana declaration is per 1,000 kg of stone, so a figure per m² would depend on the thickness (12, 20 or 30 mm); the mosaic declarations are per m² of the reference product. The table shows each as declared and nothing was converted between units.

Source notes. The Compac A1 to A3 figure is the sum of three printed modules (666 + 29.4 + 259 = 954.4, printed as 954, our addition); its GWP-biogenic is −18.1 kg CO₂e per tonne as printed, and its end-of-life scenario is total disposal of demolition waste in a sanitary landfill.^[18] In the mosaic EPDs GWP-total is lower than GWP-fossil because GWP-biogenic is −0.298 kg CO₂e per m² as printed (11.0 − 0.298 ≈ 10.7).^[19][20] The two mosaic declarations come from different manufacturers but show the same A1 to A3 results to the digits printed and differ in A4 (0.669 against 0.684 kg CO₂e per m²); they share the LCA practitioner (SOSTEC) and the verifier's firm (IK Ingeniería), and the ONIX document prints a variation between its seven product families of 33 % for GWP-fossil and 85 % for GWP-total, against 18 % for both in the SQ Mosaic document, so the reference-product figure is not a figure for every format.^[19][20] Registry pages for all three EPDs showed status valid on 12 October 2026.^[18][19][20]

EPDs built on different product category rules or declared units are not directly comparable. The EPD International text in the mosaic documents asks for the same PCR with the same first-digit version number, identical declared units and identical scope in life-cycle stages.^[19] On that wording Compac's declaration (PCR version 1.11 as printed) and the mosaic declarations (2.0.1) would not be comparable even though all three come from the same programme, and they describe different products. We rank no product and draw no conclusion about which is lower.

For the cement-bound products we found no EPD. IceStone's HPD (self-prepared; its printed expiry date of 4 August 2026 has passed) discloses contents and hazard screening, not carbon, and lists Cradle to Cradle Silver and Bronze entries.^[6] The certificates on IceStone's website were effective 19 July 2021 and expired on 18 July 2023, and each applied to named colours only (Silver: nine colours including Alpine White and Sapphire Snow; Bronze: Sage Pearl and Gotham Grey); the HPD lists a different colour assignment.^[6][7] IceStone's December 2023 product data still says its surfaces are certified at the Silver and Bronze level, and its December 2023 guide specification asks for certification at that level, but a search of the Cradle to Cradle registry on 12 October 2026 returned no IceStone or Vetrazzo product; we found no current certificate.^[1][2][24] The same registry lists Compac's "Obsidiana & Terrazzo surfaces" as Full Scope Silver (version 3.1), certificate 6516, valid until 7 November 2026; the registry states that it attests only to the validity and level of the certification.^[24]

When to specify it, and when not

Where the documents support it

• Countertops, vanities, tabletops and similar interior work surfaces. IceStone lists kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, backsplashes, reception areas, conference tables, cash transaction areas and window sills; Vetrazzo lists countertops, bar tops, hearths, tub decks, shower surrounds, tables, islands and vanities; Compac's EPD scenario is 95 % countertops.^[3][9][18] These are manufacturer statements of intended use.
• Where water absorption is a concern. Compac prints 0.02 to 0.05 % under EN 14617-1 and the mosaic makers describe "null water absorption", while the cement-bound slabs print 0.79 % (Vetrazzo, ASTM C413-12, 2017) and 0.18 % unsealed (IceStone, ASTM C-642) and require or recommend sealing. The methods differ, so these are each document's own figures, not a ranking.^{[14][19][20][8][1]} The 2011 PNNL report on three all-glass countertop surfaces from one small producer (two fused from glass layers or discs, one clear solid glass) found absorption below 0.1 % to be within experimental error and considered such surfaces suited to bathrooms and commercial spaces; that is a different construction from the binder-bound slabs.^[21]
• Wet areas, pools and walls in mosaic form. The mosaic EPDs describe use on interior and exterior walls, in wellness and spa areas and in swimming pools, SQ Mosaic's EPD also names floors and ONIX's residential flooring; these are the manufacturers' descriptions, and we read no data sheet or test report for slip resistance or frost.^[19][20]
• Projects that need a verified declaration. Of the products read, only Compac Obsidiana and the two mosaics carry a third-party verified EPD; Vetrazzo and IceStone do not in the documents we read.^[18][19][20]
• Where weight matters. From the documents' own numbers (our calculation): Vetrazzo about 15 lb/ft² is about 73 kg/m² at 3 cm; IceStone 15.155 lb/ft² is about 74 kg/m² at 1.25 in; Compac at 2,250 to 2,300 kg/m³ is 45 to 46 kg/m² at 20 mm and 27 to 28 kg/m² at 12 mm; the mosaics are 9.1 to 11.8 kg/m² before adhesive and grout.^{[8][1][14][18][19]}

Where it needs care or may not suit

• Sealing and acids on the cement-bound slabs. IceStone says its slabs are "very dense, but still porous", that the fabricator seals before or at installation and that a typical installation needs annual resealing; Vetrazzo's 2017 care guide recommends resealing once a year and waxing every six months. Both warn about acidic liquids: IceStone names coffee, wine and fruit juices and says etching is caused by acidic liquids, and Vetrazzo names lemon and other citrus juices, wine and coffee as able to etch the surface.^[4][10] Compac gives the opposite instruction: do not apply sealant, waterproofing or brightener, which it says may result in loss of the warranty.^[17] A specification should state which regime applies.
• Outdoors and sunlight. Vetrazzo's September 2017 data sheet describes the Classic Collection as made for residential indoor and outdoor use and as heat and UV resistant, but its 2017 fabrication guide says outdoor kitchens and barbecues are not warranted in freeze/thaw conditions and its brochure refers northern-climate owners to a freeze/thaw section of its technical specification, which we did not find in the technical data we read.^[8][9][13] IceStone's guide specification lists interior applications, and its SDS and fabrication guidelines say to store the slabs indoors.^[2][5][3] Compac's manual says not to place Obsidiana outdoors, in intense solar radiation or near UV-emitting lamps, and its declaration of performance gives internal use.^[17][16] The mosaic EPDs describe exterior use, and we read no frost test report.^[19][20]
• Hot cookware and heat sources. IceStone says its surface withstands incidental heat contact up to 450 °F (about 232 °C, our conversion), that the sealer and wax may not, and that it must not be installed under heat lamps or under-counter ovens; Vetrazzo's 2017 data sheet says it withstands up to 600 °F (about 316 °C) with no effect but recommends a trivet.^[3][8] Compac's data sheet reports ASTM C484 thermal-shock cycles without visible defects, and its earlier sheet gives EN 14617-6 results; we found no hot-pan statement in its manual.^[14][15][17] In the PNNL report all three all-glass surfaces cracked in at least one hot-bar test at temperatures between 176 and 371 °C while granite and marble did not, and its authors judged them unsuited to places where high-thermal-mass objects may be placed, such as kitchens; all-glass slabs are a different construction from the products above, so this is evidence for that construction only.^[21]
• Strength, chips and edges. Cement-bound slabs print flexural values of 890 to 1,004 psi (about 6 to 7 MPa, our conversion), and the documents set support and reinforcement rules: IceStone's guide specification calls for front-to-back support every 18 to 36 in depending on the perimeter support, reinforcing rods at cut-outs and support for cantilevers over 9 in, and Vetrazzo recommends a minimum 3/16 in edge radius, notes that chips can occur at sinks and dishwashers and does not warrant glass chipping or dislodging.^[2][8][9] Compac prints 40 to 60 MPa (EN 14617-2) and impact values of at least 2.8 J at 12 mm and 5.5 J at 20 mm.^[14] The test methods differ.
• Colour and pattern variation. Vetrazzo's 2017 documents say the supply of recycled glass is always changing, that adjacent pieces should come from the same batch and that samples do not fully represent a panel; IceStone's guide specification calls variation within tolerance "not a defect" and asks for adjacent pieces from the same batch date.^[8][9][2]
• Cutting dust. IceStone's fabrication guidelines require wet diamond tools or water jets and local ventilation; its SDS lists crystalline silica at 0 to 1 %, glass at 55 to 75 % classified Carc. 1B (H350) and crystalline silica Carc. 1A, and says the GHS classification "may be applicable" if the product is ground or cut.^[3][5] Vetrazzo's September 2017 MSDS says dust may cause irritation, lists crystalline silica at about 0 to 0.3 % in its cement component and mentions chronic silica effects.^[11] Compac's earlier data sheet gives crystalline silica as 7 % or less, while its EPD says zero respirable crystalline silica.^[15][18] The documents do not agree in wording or basis, so follow the current SDS of the supplied product.
• Floors. Only the mosaics and Compac are described for floors in the documents we read, and Compac's declaration is for internal use; its pendulum values are 9 wet and 40 dry for the polished finish (EN 14231), IceStone prints static friction coefficients by ASTM C-1028 (polished 0.69 dry, 0.61 wet), and the mosaic EPDs print no slip value. The methods differ and none is a slip rating for a specific floor.^{[14][16][1][19][20]}
• End of life. The Compac and mosaic EPDs model 100 % landfill at end of life; we found no take-back or recycling statement for any of the products in the documents we opened, so recycled content going in is documented and recyclability coming out is not.^[18][19][20]

Compared with other surfaces

Vetrazzo's September 2017 care guide says its slabs are comparable to granite in strength, scratch resistance, heat resistance, durability and care, and IceStone says its slabs are fabricated and cared for similarly to natural stone; these are manufacturer statements, and we read no independent test comparing the cement-bound slabs with granite or engineered stone.^[10][1][4] Compac's Obsidiana EPD presents it alongside the company's quartz and terrazzo surfaces, and its data sheets test it under the EN 14617 agglomerated-stone methods, but we opened no document on how it compares with quartz.^[18][14] The one independent report we read concerns all-glass slabs, not these constructions.^[21]

We read no independent test report for strength, durability, slip resistance or fire for any product named here, and the documents give no basis for choosing between the manufacturers. The list of suppliers below shows whose documents we read, not who to buy from.

Suppliers whose documents we read

Frequently asked questions about recycled glass surfaces

The bottom line on recycled glass surfaces

In the documents we read, the useful question about a recycled glass surface is which construction it is. In these documents sealing instructions, outdoor and sunlight limits and the test standards behind the numbers differ between the cement-bound and resin-bound slabs, and "recycled content" means a different share and a different kind of glass in every document. The documents agree that these surfaces need fabrication and care suited to the binder and differ on dust, outdoor use and what the figures are measured by. We did not read EN 14617, EN 15285, EN 15286 or any ASTM text, we opened no foamed glass, glass wool or glass aggregate document, we found no EPD for the cement-bound slabs, and we read no independent test report on the binder-bound products; the figures above are what the named documents state.

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