California may become the first state to ban engineered stone countertops due to a silicosis epidemic. The occupational lung disease has killed 30 workers and sickened over 550 since 2019.
- The proposed ban targets engineered stone with over 1% crystalline silica. - Australia banned the material in 2024, leading to safer alternatives.
- Industry opposes the ban, arguing safety measures are sufficient. - The state board will decide at a public hearing later this month.
The decision could impact thousands of workers, mostly young Latino men, who face deadly lung disease from inhaling silica dust.