Paul Frink Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Northwest Real Estate Is Granite on its Way Out? According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, granite countertops are in less demand today, while the use of quartz is on the rise. Why? For one thing, man-made quartz countertops are offered in a far greater range of looks and feels. Reason number two: it’s a bit easier to maintain over the long haul, and it’s deemed a better environmental choice because it emits lower levels of radon—a potentially cancer-causing agent. To be fair, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains the radioactive materials in granite countertops are far too minuscule to pose a health threat. So what, exactly, is a quartz countertop? It’s made of engineered stone, composed of at least 90% ground-up quartz mixed with a binder