Engineered stone, or quartz, is a man-made material made with high concentrations of silica that is commonly used to make kitchen countertops in the U.S. And it’s making the workers who cut this material sick. And even though California has safety rules in place to reduce the risk to workers, some say it’s time to ban the use of engineered stone altogether.
This episode first aired on Dec. 15, 2025.
Links:
- Doctors say measures to control an incurable lung disease aren’t enough : NPR
- As Lung Disease Threatens Workers, Lawmakers Seek Protections for Countertop Manufacturers – KFF Health News
Some members of the KQED podcast team are represented by The Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, San Francisco-Northern California Local.
