"An epidemic of a deadly lung disease among hundreds of workers who cut kitchen and bathroom countertops has regulators on opposite sides of the country considering two drastically different responses this week.

In a California hearing on Thursday, workplace safety regulators will be discussing a proposed ban on cutting so-called quartz or engineered stone, a popular choice for countertops. That's because this material creates an unusual amount of lung-damaging silica dust when it gets cut or polished, far more than natural granite or marble.

Meanwhile in Washington, Republicans on a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee convened a hearing to discuss a bill that would instead ban workers' ability to bring lawsuits against the companies that manufacture and sell the raw slabs of this engineered material."

Nell Greenfieldboyce reports for NPR January 14, 2026. [2]

SEE ALSO:

Video of January 14 Hearing on Stone Slab Countertops (House Judiciary Committee) [3]