Nation bans common home feature over cancer risk

Key points

• California is moving to ban the fabrication of engineered quartz, a popular countertop material linked to a surge in silicosis cases among workers. The state has recorded 660 confirmed cases and 35 deaths from engineered-stone silicosis.
• Current safety regulations have failed to prevent hazardous exposures, with 94 per cent of inspected shops cited for violations.
• The ban, if adopted, would make California the first state to remove high-silica-engineered stone from countertop fabrication.