[Greenbuilding] Green counters?

[Chris Green]

Debra Lombard wrote:
> soapstone is so soft I would not recommend it for a countertop.
>   
It is a poor choice.

Soapstone often contains asbestos in one form or another, so the 
material has to be handled as if all soapstone contains it, especially 
if one is drilling and cutting holes for sinks, plumbing, or whatever.
The installers should be aware of this risk.
That means the use of a high quality mask, and hepa filters for the 
vacuum cleaners., and perhaps flooding the surface area with water (as 
in stone polishing) while working on it, if that is possible.

Once in place, the wear and rubbing on the counter is probably so 
gradual that the dust from this is irrelevant.

Be careful about your material sources and buy from suppliers who 
practice rigid health and safety programs.

Some deposits of granite may contain asbestos as well, I have 
discovered, but that stone is lot harder and will wear that much slower 
than soapstone.

Chris Green.