Are America’s Favorite Countertops Going Away?

“Beloved for their versatility and functionality, white quartz countertops (also referred to as engineered quartz) are a timeless way to level up the look of kitchens big and small,” exclaimed a June 2022 article in House Beautiful. This extremely durable, low maintenance material became a favorite of mine when I began my kitchen and bath design career 20 years ago at my neighborhood Home Depot. I can’t count how many projects I’ve specified it for over the years, touting its scratch, stain and heat resistance. I’d whip my box cutter out of my apron pocket and slash the blade across the sample board for dramatic effect, evoking oohhs, aahhs and nods of approval from customers. I pointed out that, unlike granite, it was nonporous, never needed to be sealed and came with a warranty that Mother Nature does not provide for her natural stone offerings.

I’m not the only designer who has been enthusiastically recommending engineered stone to both big box and luxury showroom clients. According to another June 2022 article that ran in trade publication Builder, it became the most used U.S. countertop material in 2021. That market leadership has come with costs – not to the homeowners enjoying its convenience and durability – but for the workers who fabricate its slabs into countertops for their homes.

One country, Australia, has gone so far as to ban it entirely. Will that be its fate in the U.S.? Are there different approaches to addressing this very real concern? I thought it worth a look if the fate of one of the best countertop solutions available today is at stake.

Health Issue

“Approximately 2.3 million U.S. workers are exposed to silica in the workplace, including 2 million in construction,” observed the American Lung Association on its website. This exposure is intensified when engineered stone countertop fabricators are cutting it to the sizes needed for a client’s home. “Complications from silicosis can include tuberculosis, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, autoimmune disorders and kidney disease,” the ALA noted.

This was not an issue I was aware of when I was slashing at sample boards! I dare say many of my colleagues were similarly unaware. When I first wrote about fabrication risks in my monthly Kitchen & Bath Design News Trend Spotting column in May 2022, I cited the International Surface Fabricators Association’s safety resources and recommended that designers ask their fabricators whether they were incorporating them.

I checked back with ISFA for an update for this article. “All fabricators in the industry are required to comply with OSHA’s Respirable Crystalline Silica Rule (as of September 23, 2017), which includes a range of protective measures,” the group’s executive director Marissa Bankert noted. “Awareness of safety practices and adhering to preventative measures is critical – in every company, in any industry, that is using silica material.”

Engineered stone is among the highest surfaces in silica content, at more than 90%, compared to less than 45% in granite and less than 20% in porcelain. This means that the countertops we love so much, produced without safety protections, are creating tremendous risks for our partners on the labor side. Now that we know…

As designers and homeowners – particularly Millennials and Generation Z – weigh human issues more than ever in product selection, this becomes a powerful consideration. It is too for regulators here and abroad, as new worker safety rules and even a national ban, go into effect.

California Approach – Regulation

California, the 80-pound gorilla in home-related legislation, (spurring the LED revolution and water conservation, to name just two), has taken a more measured approach than Australia. The state’s occupational and safety agency, Cal/OSHA, concerned about the risks of engineered stone fabrication, given the persistence of the problem, has issued its own temporary rules that took effect last December.

“The California Department of Public Health has identified 95 cases of workers developing silicosis since 2019, 10 of whom have died from the disease,” announced the state’s Department of Industrial Relations in a December 14 press release. When properly implemented, these new guidelines can help protect workers from silicosis.

Given that so many fabricators are very small, independently owned businesses, it’s a tough industry to regulate. Cal/OSHA is recommending that inspection data is reviewed six months after implementation of the emergency standard to “determine if the use of engineered stone should be prohibited.” (Emphasis mine)

The industry is paying close attention, hoping the guidelines solve the problem and homeowners can continue to enjoy this high performance product. According to a December 2023 Los Angeles Times article, “The Agglomerated Stone Manufacturers Assn [AStA], which represents engineered stone makers including Caesarstone, Cambria and Cosentino, voiced support for the California emergency measure, which was up for approval days after Australia announced it would impose a nationwide ban on the material.”

“Silicosis is a preventable disease, and engineered stone, like other silica-containing products, can be fabricated safely when fabricators adhere to proven, effective safety regulations and requirements when cutting or installing stone products,” AStA commented. “Furthermore, engineered stone products are safe once installed and do not pose any risk to end users.” (Emphasis also mine)

Australia Approach – Ban

“Australia is set to become the first country to prohibit the use, supply, and manufacture of all engineered stone from July 1, 2024,” announced the American Industrial Hygiene Association in a January 2024 release. The decision was driven by the same workplace safety regulators as California’s emergency ruling. As AStA pointed out in its response, this is a workplace health and safety issue – not a product safety issue.

Safer Solutions

Nonetheless, quartz manufacturers are taking steps to provide countertop solutions that homeowners and designers can embrace with equal enthusiasm, and that won’t run afoul of workplace safety regulators. This was evident at the 2024 Kitchen & Bath Industry Show two months ago.

Cosentino, the largest producer of quartz surfaces in the world and one of the earliest, according to ISFA, was one of the brands exhibiting its new technologies at KBIS. HybriQ produces an engineered stone top with less than 40% silica, the company stated, noting that close to a third of its portfolio comes in at 10% or lower silica levels. “This week, we are formally introducing SilestoneXM, which distinguishes all new Silestone collections brought to the market by having a maximum crystalline silica content of 10%.” Mineral is the new buzzword for these alternatives. Caesarstone, another global engineered stone manufacturing giant and a fierce opponent of the Australia ban, is touting its new low silica mineral collection.

Both brands also feature porcelain slab countertops, a versatile, viable alternative to engineered stone. Porcelain offers comparable heat, scratch and stain resistance, as I’ve written here before, and has the advantage of being outdoor-rated. Davina Rooney, CEO of the Green Building Council of Australia praised it this way, “with its sleek finish and non-toxic attributes porcelain is another great choice,” (while also recommending alternatives like stainless steel and sustainably sourced stone and wood).

Final Thoughts

As professionals and consumers, we’re all focused on direct challenges to our lives, health, safety and success. It can be easy to tune out issues impacting other people outside our spheres. But we shouldn’t – and increasingly can’t. As our vendors are compelled to innovate, everyone benefits.

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Author’s Note: Bankert, Rooney and Cosentino were interviewed by email.