Finding of Emergency Section 5204 , Occupational Exposures to Respirable Crystalline Silica Business Meeting : December 14 , 2023 Page 6 of 36
5 ) Artificial stone now dominates the U . S . market for stone countertops .
Over the last decade , artificial stone has emerged as the predominant material used in fabricating countertops in the U . S . ( Figure 2 ). It is marketed on the basis of its longevity , its low maintenance and its high resistance to scratches , stains and heat , while offering a variety of colors and patterns . In 2021 , it surpassed all other materials to become the predominant countertop product in the U . S . for residential and commercial applications , with a market size of $ 17.7 billion . 14 U . S . demand for artificial stone countertops is expected to continuing growing at 9.6 % annually through 2026 , solidifying the material ' s position as the most popular type of countertop material used in the U . S . 15 Figure 2 . U . S . Artificial Stone Countertop Demand , 2007- 2021 ( million square feet ). 16
6
) There is an epidemic of silicosis occurring in California ’ s artificial stone fabrication industry .
In July 2023 , physicians and investigators with the University of California Los Angeles ( UCLA ) Olive View Medical Center and the CDPH ) Occupational Health Branch ( OHB ) reported that between 2010 and 2022 , they had identified 52 California workers with silicosis , all of whom worked in shops that fabricated countertops from artificial stone . The majority of these cases were identified in 2019 or later ( Figure 3 ). 17
14
Freedonia Group ( Sept 2022 ). Industry Reports , United States . U . S . Engineered Stone Countertops . https :// www . freedoniagroup . com / industry-study / engineered-stone-countertops-4395 . htm . Accessed August 16 , 2023
15
Freedonia Group ( Sept 2022 ), ibid . https :// www . freedoniagroup . com / industry-study / engineered-stonecountertops-4395 . htm .
16
Freedonia Group ( Sept 2022 ), ibid . https :// www . freedoniagroup . com / industry-study / engineered-stonecountertops-4395 . htm .
17
Fazio J , et al . ( 2023 ) Silicosis Among Immigrant . op . cit . https :// jamanetwork . com / journals / jamainternalmedicine / article-abstract / 2807615 .