Comment by standardUser
2 years ago
> I recall seeing stuff about this in California
People love to talk shit about California (I don't mean OP, but generally, and increasingly), but that state gets right as much as it gets wrong. And at least it fucking does something. It's expected to pass strict regulations tomorrow on the type of stonecutting that Australia is banning. That adds up because Australia is a country that likes to ban things and America is not. That holds true even in California, which is far more pro-commerce than people seem to pretend.
But the bigger point is that outside of Australia and California, a small but tragic number of working people will continue to die a rough and premature death because most states, countries, counties, whatever jurisdiction, don't have the basic competency and clear-sightedness to pass laws that cause no one true harm but save literal human lives.
https://www.kqed.org/news/11969381/california-regulators-to-...
Wow. I live in CA, and am starting on a remodel where I fully intended on using this stuff, having no idea it was harmful. In fact, I just assumed it must be better than digging/mining/cutting 'real' granite slabs and that this stuff would be both cheaper AND more responsible.
Regulations do more than regulate/ban things, they raise awareness. Just reading about the Australia ban had me thinking "I'll have to see what else we like to use instead" before I even got to your comment about the California ban.