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Comment by andrewstuart | Hacker News Reader

But rich people need engineered stone bench tops. Surely there's a way to get tradespeople to keep making them?

Down with the rich and all, yes I agree, but don't most people, regardless of their economic status, need some type of bench top (or countertop, as us Yanks call them)? Seems like this is saying that there's no good stone or "stone" alternative.

Mine is ceramic tile. Its probably 100 years old.

Cutting ceramic tile produces a fuckton of fine dust. Including silicates.

Not an issue with proper ppe. Same with these countertops honestly. You read the underlying studies and its like everyone with the health issues did not wear any ppe. The people who did wear ppe didn’t have the health issues.

CNC comes to mind. Or, if they have to be cut by hand, better equipment (saws with dust collection) and/or breathing masks?

But I don't have to guess, Wikipedia knows it best: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silicosis#Prevention

These sets of articles are popular because the strike out at the wealthier with stone countertops, so they tend to gain traction because it highlights an exploited proletariat

These articles wouldn't get the traction if it was instead "There is no safe alternative to concrete". Then people start thinking, well, I have concrete in my house and I don't want to get rid of that.

PPE usage in the construction industry is especially lax. Looking to replace the product with some other material with its own set of tradeoffs isn't needed here. Making the industry conform with the law and expected safety equipment is.

They're pretty much in every recently renovated housing unit... not just rich people houses.

Not to mention that engineered stone is actually cheaper than the alternative (ie. granite) options.

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