Tile floors are durable, easy to clean, and can give a kitchen or bathroom a homey yet sleek look. Today, tiling a floor is an even more attractive proposition because the tiles can be made from recycled content and be recycled at the end of their life span.

Traditional ceramic tiles have been used as floor covering for almost 4,000 years. Tiles were first made from clay and then baked in ovens. When glazing—the process of sealing and waterproofing pottery—was discovered, ceramic floor tiles became much more durable and fashionable. Today, much of the same basic technology used to make the first tiles is still being used but on a mass scale.

Tiled floors are an affordable option for most homeowners and a natural choice to improve the aesthetics of a kitchen or bath. As homeowners become more environmentally aware, demand for sustainable, or “green,” products has given rise to a new type of tiled flooring, one that includes 50–100% post-consumer recycled content.

A majority of the recycled content in tiles today comes from glass. Glass beverage bottles and car windshields are easily melted and combined with traditional materials to produce tiles. Plastics, recycled stone, and cement are also used in recycled tiles and can help increase the durability of the product.

When shopping for recycled tiles, here are a few things to keep in mind:

•    Post-consumer recycled content. This term is used to describe how much recycled material was used in making the tile. The most—100%—means that the entire tile is made from material that would otherwise have ended up in a landfill. The higher the percentage of post-consumer recycled content, the better, if you are looking to go “green.” Also, be aware that a recycled content of less that 50% means that additional materials were added, usually to enhance colors.

•    Keep the lead out. Tiles and especially tile glazes have historically been made with lead. Because of this, the Environmental Protection Agency regulates the domestic ceramic and recycled glass industry and suggests manufacturers use other non-toxic, commonly available glazes. Besides lead, metals like barium, cobalt, lithium, and manganese are sometimes used. These metals give glazes a bright and lustrous look but can cause health issues if inhaled. This is important to keep in mind if you are cutting and installing your own tile. Caution should be used when purchasing imported tiles, even with high recycled content, to avoid these glazes.

•    Glass can shatter. Recycled glass tiles are being produced in a wider assortment of colors and sizes, but they may not always be the right choice for your project. Be sure the tiles have been rated for floors. Like traditional ceramic tiles, glass tiles will crack and break if struck with a solid impact. If you are going to install glass tiles for flooring, make sure they have passed American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards and are rated for floor use.

Recycled glass tiles can also have the benefit of contributing to LEED certification for new buildings and major renovations. This makes them an attractive flooring option for builders, remodelers, and homeowners seeking recognition for sustainable building practices.