California to be first US state to ban kitchen countertops made with engineered stone

America's third-largest state California is reportedly on track to enact the country's first ban on engineered quartz countertops. According to a report in USA Today, the upcoming ban is in response to an alarming rise in Silicosis, a debilitating lung disease, in people who work with the material. Over the past decade, engineered quartz has reportedly dominated American kitchen and bathroom renovations, as it is an affordable, durable, and low-maintenance alternative to natural marble and granite. However, that commercial boom has coincided with an occupational health crisis. Australia enacted a nationwide complete ban on engineered stones in 2024.Engineered stones, also called artificial stone or quartz countertops, are man-made stone countertops designed to look like natural stone. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), engineered stone is manufactured by binding 90% to 95% crushed quartz with resins, polymers, and pigments.