Campaigners, doctors and trade unions are renewing calls for the UK to ban engineered quartz worktops as cases of the incurable lung disease silicosis continue to emerge among workers who cut and install the material.
Popular for their durability and low-maintenance finish, engineered quartz surfaces have become a staple in modern kitchens. However, investigations by Sky News and The i Paper, published under the banner Killer Kitchens, have highlighted a growing number of stonemasons who have developed life-threatening lung disease after prolonged exposure to silica dust generated during fabrication.
