Comment by OscarTheGrinch

2 years ago

To protect the workers we must fire them.

Several construction workers' unions campaigned to get this ban in place.

The only party in opposition were the engineered stone vendors.

It's quite certain the workers can make/fit countertops from other materials as well.

It's not like whatever the demand that the engineered stone currently fills suddenly disappears so those workers will be able to find other similar jobs.

  • My guess would be that number of kitchens that do not get build because engineered stone is not anymore available will be very low...

    Or anything else. There is enough options around and enough supply for that.

  • The toxic (but cheaper) stuff will be manufactured offshore

    • The existing toxic stuff was made offshore. It’s not the manufacturing that’s the issue, it’s the cutting to size. You can’t do that offshore. Indeed, in some circumstances cuts are made on the building site.

    • From the article:

      > The federal government will also impose a ban on imported engineered stone to provide an "additional layer of enforcement and deterrence at the border", however the date has not been finalised yet.