The beautiful kitchen countertops, which in recent years have become an almost obligatory item in every home, are one of the most beautiful and useful additions to the place where you cook and eat – but it turns out that along the way they are also more dangerous than almost any other product in history. We used ChatGPT to learn about the dark secret behind marble substitutes.
In the heart of California's Fukuyama industrial district, masses of people are working on the most fashionable kitchen countertops – stone countertops that account for over 60% of the "marble" countertops in kitchens around the world in recent years. But there is a silent and deadly threat to their lives, leading to an alarming rise in premature deaths among industrial workers. The insidious danger is crystalline silica dust – a byproduct of cutting and grinding stone, which causes silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by inhalation of crystalline silica particles.
This dust and the danger it poses have long been known, but recent revelations highlight a disturbing acceleration of cases — particularly in Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley, where the stone pallet manufacturing industry thrives. The booming popularity of engineered stone surfaces, with significantly higher silica concentrations than natural stone, is identified as a key driver of this emerging epidemic.
Leaked documents and findings from UCLA and UCSF doctors (two universities in California – the one in Los Angeles and the one in San Francisco) highlight a disturbing trend – young workers, some in their 20s and 30s, find themselves with a terminal diagnosis. The disease, which once erupted after decades of exposure, paralyzes more and more men in their prime lives, leaving them breathless, weakened and, in some cases, causing fatal lung failure.
The severe consequences for industrial workers have led to calls for action. Workplace safety regulators in California are creating emergency rules to address risks associated with engineered stone. At the same time, Los Angeles County is exploring the possibility of banning the sale and installation of "engineered silicate stone" to protect workers from further harm.
However, industry voices argue that the focus should be on enforcing existing safety measures rather than imposing new ones. The Association of Stone Pallet Manufacturers claims that adherence to safety procedures is essential, and that it advocates strict enforcement of existing regulations. The Stone Coalition, which represents manufacturers and manufacturers, highlights the economic implications of the ban, and offers enforcement and additional training on workplace safety.
On the other hand, Raphael Metzger, a lawyer representing injured workers, argues that the typical safety measures are insufficient. He advocates more sophisticated and expensive measures to protect workers, arguing that engineered stone is too dangerous to be used safely and should be banned.
Consumers, most of whom are unaware of the human toll on their kitchen countertops, are now urged to consider the potential health impact of their choices.
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