California’s Potential Quartz Ban Pushes Contractors to Alternatives

Key facts

• California is considering a ban on engineered stone.
• The ban is due to health risks from silica dust.
• Workers in quartz-cutting shops have become sick from dust exposure.

California is contemplating a ban on engineered stone, a material commonly used in countertops, due to concerns over the health impacts of silica dust. The proposed legislation aims to protect workers in quartz-cutting shops who have suffered illnesses linked to inhaling dust particles. In response, manufacturers and their clients are actively seeking and adopting alternative materials that do not generate hazardous dust clouds during processing.