Calls are growing for the Government to take Australia’s lead and ban engineered stone to protect workers from developing silicosis, an incurable lung disease.
The composite material – made up of crushed quartz and polymer resin – is often used as a cost-effective alternative to natural stone benchtops. Engineered stone can contain in excess of 90% crystalline silica which can then be inhaled as a dust, leading to the development of the disease.
Symptoms include a persistent cough lasting longer than six weeks, shortness of breath, and tiredness and weakness, Health New Zealand said on its website. Some people may eventually find activities such as walking or climbing stairs difficult.
It can also increase people’s risk of developing other serious and potentially life-threatening conditions, including tuberculosis, heart failure, arthritis, kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary hypertension, and lung cancer.
Australian mother of two Joanna McNeill, who was diagnosed with silicosis in 2019, is urging New Zealand’s government to ban the stone.
The 39-year-old developed the incurable lung disease while working in administration at a quarry in Melbourne.
Her office was 90 metres from where machinery crushed rocks, releasing dust containing tiny crystalline silica particles into the air.
“I can remember licking it off my lips but I never thought anything of it. I just thought it was just dusty. I never thought that dust could be so hazardous,” McNeill said.
The naturally occurring mineral is also in some engineered stone, making it a risk for anyone who works with the material.
Wayne Scott, the CEO of the Extractives Health and Safety Council, said we’ve “known the hazards of it for centuries”.
“Funnily enough, we haven’t actually nailed reduction in harm from it,” he said.
Calls for more guidance
This week, the council brought together experts in Wellington to find ways to minimise its potential harm.
“We’re all concerned that there isn’t enough guidance and enough rules and regulations there that can really kind of help our workers,” said Dr Mary Obele, a specialist occupational and environmental physician.
Wet cutting engineered stone and frequent air quality tests are some of the ways the risk can be reduced.
“When you look at fabricators that are doing best practice, they’re doing the right things and the industry is a very different place to the industry was 10 years ago,” Steve Kirk from Artisan Stone said.
“However, most of the changes are largely voluntary and pushed by either the suppliers or the fabricators themselves.
“So, I definitely think there’s room to improve the level of regulation.”
Last year, Australia became the first country in the world to ban engineered stone. As of February 2019, there were 99 confirmed cases of silicosis associated with engineered stone benchtop work in Queensland, according to WorkSafe.
The New Zealand Government is taking feedback on following in their footsteps.
“We take a view that it should be banned,” Scott said.
Kirk agreed, saying there is “definitely scope to ban the importation of full silica engineered stone”.
“All of the major suppliers are moving away from full silica to low silica or zero silica anyway. So, I don’t think that would be a huge move from where the industry is already at,” he said.
An estimated one in 10 Kiwi workers – or about 270,000 – are exposed to crystalline silica. An estimated 80,000 workers have a probable high exposure. But so far, just 26 people have qualified for ACC cover.
“I think there is a lot of people who have fallen through the cracks, and I think it’s a problem that is going to take decades to fix,” Obele said.
The Government’s consultation on engineered stone closed on March 18.
