"Artificial stone, also known as engineered stone or quartz, can contain more than 90% crystalline silica. Resins and other chemicals added to the factory-made slabs contribute to making engineered stone dust more dangerous than dust from natural stones such as granite or marble, according to doctors. Cambria faces 400 lawsuits from stoneworkers for silica-related injuries, most of them in California, Schult said."
"Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said the courts should determine whether manufacturers have any responsibility for the impact of their products on stoneworkers. In one of the two cases against Cambria and other manufacturers that went to trial, the company was found partially liable in a $52.4 million verdict for failing to adequately warn of the hazards. Cambria appealed the jury decision."
Engineered stone slabs frequently contain over 90% crystalline silica, and factory-added resins and chemicals increase the toxicity of the dust produced during cutting and polishing. Stoneworkers have filed hundreds of lawsuits alleging silica-related injuries and illnesses, with major manufacturers targeted in many claims. Some manufacturers have developed low- or no-crystalline-silica alternatives, while others have not. Courts have issued mixed verdicts, including a $52.4 million partial-liability award for inadequate warnings and other rulings favoring defendants, with multiple decisions now under appeal. Regulatory and policy responses, including bans, have emerged in some jurisdictions to address the risk.
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