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California could ban a popular feature for high-end kitchen remodels
San Francisco Chronicle • • general
Key Points:
- California is set to become the first state to propose a ban on the production and installation of engineered quartz countertops due to health risks from crystalline silica exposure.
- The ban follows hundreds of silicosis cases and dozens of deaths linked to workers inhaling silica dust during the fabrication and installation of engineered quartz.
- Current safety measures like wet saws and respirators have proven inadequate, and enforcement is challenging due to a fragmented industry with many small shops, mostly employing Latino immigrant workers.
- Manufacturers argue that the issue lies with fabrication shops violating safety regulations, while health experts and legal representatives contend that engineered stone is inherently too toxic to be safely handled.
- Alternatives to engineered quartz exist for consumers, but critics emphasize that the health risks to workers outweigh the material's aesthetic benefits.
