Slippery Rock Gazette

The EC (European Commission) and EOTA (European Organization for Technical Assessment) have adopted a new EAD (European Assessment Document) that defines a new product category, commonly known in the U.S. as  known as Sintered Stone.  

The definition is as follows:

(Sintered Stone is) “An industrial product consisting of a wet mix of minerals, without the use of resin or cement.  The material is cold-formed by vacuum vibro-compression and then consolidated, after drying, by sintering at temperatures between 1,100 and 1,200°C. The production process is reversible.  The material can be used in architecture and design for various interior and/or exterior applications and can be installed by means of adhesives, structural bonding or mechanical fixings.”

Sintered Stone is produced in large slabs and boasts high levels of resistance against scratches, temperature changes, fire, salt water, humidity, UV rays, and more. Above all, it is environmentally sustainable, as it is produced without the use of petroleum derivatives. As specified in the EAD, the material is the result of a reversible process, enabling it to revert to its original state at the end of its lifespan and be reused.  These properties make it a valuable material for construction and design, both on land and at sea, and it is compatible with numerous global certifications for quality and sustainability.  

The EAD 090142-00-0404, which will soon be cited in the OJEU (Official Journal of the European Union), contains the list of essential characteristics and specifies the test methods necessary to verify the performance of this innovative surface. 

This is an important part of the recognition process, as it defines the different specificities of the Sintered Stone and Ceramic product categories, in order to avoid overlaps, confusion and misuse of terms. From now on, surfaces that meet the requirements of the new EAD can be CE marked and circulated even more easily within the European Community’s borders.