Silica Dust: Deadly Risk in Quartz Countertop Industry
Irvine News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · The Daily News Now!
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Show Notes
Engineered quartz countertops, a $30 billion global market, are linked to a surge in silicosis cases among workers, primarily Hispanic men in their forties. The disease, caused by inhaling crystalline silica dust, has resulted in 519 cases and 29 deaths in California alone since 2019. The issue escalated post-2008 recession, as demand shifted to cheaper quartz over natural stone. Despite safety measures, the fine dust created during cutting scars lungs, leading to lung transplants and limited lives for affected workers like César González and Gustavo Reyes. Australia banned high-silica engineered stone in 2024, but in the US, the full scale remains hidden due to lack of national tracking. Major brands are introducing low-silica products amid lawsuits and liability shield proposals.
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