Australia Bans Engineered Stone
December 13, 2023Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) on Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) for General Industry
December 15, 2023Engineered stone, also known as quartz or artificial, was invented by Marcello Toncelli in Italy in 1963 as an alternative to natural stone, and Is primarily used for fabricating kitchen and bathroom countertops. Over the decades, the product became popular in Italy, Israel, and Spain (and epidemics of silicosis among fabrication workers soon followed). By the 2010s, it became popular in Australia and the U.S., and now Australia and the U.S. have an epidemic. The annual market in the U.S is now over $20 billion. For the end consumer, the final countertop product is wonderful. It looks like natural stone, but is more durable, scratch resistant, stain resistant, non-porous, and does not need to be sealed or resealed. It is made with up to 95% nano-sized silica and various resins and pigments. However, for the workers who must take the raw engineered stone slab and fabricate it to make a countertop, it is deadly. The dust released during fabrication causes accelerated and acute silicosis, and other diseases.
Contact us today if you have been diagnosed with silicosis.
