California moves to ban common kitchen item after incurable disease rates skyrocket

Key Points:

• California plans to ban the creation or installation of man-made quartz containing more than 1% crystalline silica due to rising cases of silicosis, a fatal lung disease affecting workers who cut quartz for countertops.
• The Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board is expected to pass this emergency regulation in October, reflecting growing health concerns linked to silica dust inhalation during quartz cutting.
• Silicosis cases in California have surged from 31 in 2019 to 631 by mid-2023, predominantly affecting men around the median age of 52, with many cases concentrated in Los Angeles County.
• Enrique Gonzalez, a stone worker from San Fernando Valley, developed severe silicosis and required a lung transplant after years of exposure; his recovery post-transplant has been significant but ongoing, with continued medical care and restrictions.
• Gonzalez's family has faced financial hardship due to his inability to work, relying on community donations, highlighting the broader impact of occupational silicosis on workers and their families.