Australia will become the first country to ban engineered stone bench tops. Will others follow?

Ban is the culmination of a years-long campaign, driven by doctors, trade unions and workers involved in its cutting and handling

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When an Australian worker developed a debilitating lung disease in 2015, it didn't take researchers long to connect it to engineered stone bench tops - a popular feature in kitchens and bathrooms.

A years-long campaign, driven by doctors, trade unions and workers, was launched to ban the artificial material as silicosis cases rose among those involved in its cutting and handling.

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