I have been hearing some rumblings over the last couple of weeks that there has been a spike in a condition called silicosis. This is a potentially debilitating lung condition caused by silica which is found in sand, rock and glass. This had become a relatively uncommon condition because of safety measures used at worksites where this exposure might take place.
However, there is now a resurgence. The culprit is the manner in which kitchens are constructed currently. The proliferation of stone countertops– and the “stone shops” that fabricate and cut this stone– has caused this spike. Workers in these stone shops and the manufacturing facilities that produce the slabs of stone are apparently being exposed especially in the case of quartz countertops.
It seems the recent kitchen fashions may be exacting a price.
OMG what’s next? Will the FDA propose a rule that prohibits cats inside homes due to the cat hair dandruff in the air ?
Fred, with the revelation this has become a problem, you are right there are going to be pressures to regulate. It would be best if companies were to self-regulate; but if regulation occurs, it would be better at the state level rather than at the federal level.