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TRANSCRIPT

00:00 Brought to You by Quantra
00:22 Intro
00:32 UK Silicosis Sweep Nets Four Shops
02:44 A Word from TAB Quartz
03:57 International Stone Alliance Moves Forward
06:08 Centrorochas Joins Brazil Tariff Depate
08:01 NSI Expands Industry Safety Advocacy
10:34 EU Pushes “Circular” Products
12:13 ISFA Plans Seattle-area Meet This Month
13:09 Outro
13:35 Brought to You by Quantra00:22

Hi, I’m K. Schipper with the latest in hard surfaces industry news from Radio Stone Update.

00:32

Our first item comes from Europe, where four companies in the United Kingdom were ordered to stop working with engineered stone as part of a crackdown to protect workers from respirable crystalline silica (RCS).

The shutdowns followed visits by inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) (the British version of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA).

The notices require the businesses to stop work immediately and take steps to improve safety. Each of the firms was found to have a lack of control measures in place to keep employees safe while working with engineered stone.

HSE announced a package of measures in May to protect workers from the dangers of respirable crystalline silica. It followed concern about the deaths of workers from silicosis, a deadly lung disease caused by breathing RCS.

New guidance from HSE made it clear that dry-cutting of engineered stone is unacceptable. The regulator plans to conduct more than 1,000 inspections as part of a nationwide campaign that will run through 2026.

Harvey Wild, head of operations at HSE, said work has been stopped at workplaces due to serious failures to provide correct controls.

“Silicosis is incurable, but it is entirely preventable,” said Wild. “No worker should lose their life to a lung disease caused by their job, and that is why we have taken this action.”

The Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, echoed Wild’s statement. “Every worker deserves to come home safe, without fear of losing their life to a preventable, deadly lung disease caused by their job,” Timms said. “The enforcement action taken by HSE sends a clear message that putting workers at risk of silicosis – an entirely preventable but devastating disease – is completely unacceptable.”

HSE also notes the availability of lower-content silica engineered stone. Its guidelines for shops include switching to engineered stone with a lower silica content, along with using on-tool water suppression, providing appropriate respiratory protection and carrying out regular health maintenance.

03:57

The Natural Stone Strategic Alliance (NSSA) took another step toward its international consolidation at a virtual meeting July 1.

At that time, members reviewed progress on the federation’s institutional structure and outlined the next steps for its ongoing strategic projects.

Officially incorporated as a non-profit organization in the United States, the NSSA currently lists as members 11 organizations from 10 natural stone producing and consuming countries. Members are Brazil, Germany, Greece, Iran, Italy, Portugal, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and, in the United States, the Natural Stone Institute.

Plans are to expand membership to 20 organizations by the end of the year, further increasing global representation. Expanding and strengthening the organization’s governance structure was a major topic of discussion, along with enhancing the board’s decision-making process.

Another topic on the agenda was the federation’s institutional development. The NSSA continues to build partnerships with major international trade shows. It’s expected that initiative will expand its institutional reach and support its global cooperation projects.

As part of that, members discussed the development of the organization’s official website, which will serve as a hub for its main initiatives.

Meanwhile, work continues on the federation’s first collaborative initiative, the Environmental Product Declaration or EPD initiatives developed by member countries. The project seeks to map the developmental stage of each national EPD program and provide a global overview of the natural stone industry’s environmental progress.

Occupational safety remains a priority for the NSSA, and discussions surrounding exposure of respirable crystalline silica remain a priority for the organizations that make up the federation.

Of particular interest are Australia’s restrictions on engineered stone products and the ongoing regulatory debate in California.

The board of directors’ composition is expected to be approved during an in-person meeting scheduled as part of Marmomac in September in Verona, Italy.

06:08

The Brazilian Natural Stone Association – Centrorochas –participated in the Section 301 tariffs public hearing on Tuesday in front of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

The hearing, held in Washington, discussed the proposed tariff measures sought against Brazil. The public hearing brought together representatives from companies, trade associations, confederations and other organizations interested in presenting their views directly to the U.S. government.

Representing Centrorochas was the organization’s vice president, Fabio Cruz, who presented arguments demonstrating the potential effects of the proposed tariffs on U.S. businesses, jobs, investments and supply chains, while reinforcing the rationale for excluding Brazilian natural stone products from the proposed measure.

Brazilian officials have stressed the lack of equivalent substitutes for many applications and the potential impacts of the measures on construction and housing costs in this country.

Brazil is the largest international supplier of stone to the United States, shipping $795 million of stone to this country last year. Of that stone, 99.9% consists of semi-finished stone slabs used in fabrication, distribution and installation activities. Its primary uses are kitchen and bathroom countertops, wall and floor cladding and other residential and commercial applications.

Says Cruz, “Brazilian natural stone does not compete with domestic U.S. production. On the contrary, it complements a supply chain that supports jobs, investments and economic activities across multiple states.”

By excluding this sector from the proposed measures, the economic interests of the United States will benefit by preserving the competitiveness of companies that depend on these materials while avoiding additional costs for consumers, Cruz stressed.

08:01

The Natural Stone Institute (NSI) announced an expanded industry advocacy and scientific engagement initiative in response to ongoing silica-related regulatory discussions, including recent actions taken by the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board – Cal/OSHA.

In late May, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board voted to approve a petition that could ultimately lead to a ban on the fabrication and installation of engineered quartz products in the state. While natural stone wasn’t included in the proposed ban, the board also directed a scientific advisory group to further evaluate potential risks associated with natural quartzite and other silica-containing natural stones.

While the original petition focused specifically on engineered quartz products and the petitioning organization has publicly stated that natural stone shouldn’t be included in the ban, the NSI believes continued engagement is essential.

“Protecting worker health remains our highest priority,” said Jim Hieb, CEO of NSI. “Workers are suffering from silicosis, and our industry has a responsibility to advance meaningful safety improvements.”

Those improvements include education, training, research and responsible workplace practices. Hieb added that at the same time it is critical that regulatory decisions involving natural stone are based on credible science and accurate data.

The NSI has been actively engaged in silica safety advocacy at both the state and federal levels. Since the beginning of the year, Hieb has testified in front of both a U.S. House of Representative subcommittee and the Cal/OSHA Standards Board.

To further strengthen those efforts, the NSI is engaging an independent industrial hygiene expert to provide scientific review, regulatory guidance and technical expertise.

This support will help ensure future discussions involving natural stone are informed by sound occupational health practices and a clear understanding of the distinctions between natural stone and engineered quartz products.

Funding for these initiatives is being supported through the Natural Stone Foundation, which has launched a matching campaign. Through the end of July, all donations receive an additional match by an anonymous donor up to $50,000.

“The work being done today will help shape how natural stone is represented in future research, regulations and public policy discussions,” said Hieb.

10:34

Later this year the European Union (EU) is expected to adopt the Circular Economy Act, which aims to create a stronger market for recycled and reused materials across Europe.

The legislation is expected to support circular product design, increase demand for secondary materials and encourage greater material recovery throughout the construction supply chain. While final details are still being worked out, the act is already driving conversations around material innovation and resource efficiency across the built environment.

Rather than the linear model of “take, make, use, dispose,” the circular economy keeps products and materials in circulation as long as possible, and waste and resource use are minimized.

The EU’s transition to a circular economy is seen as crucial for reducing pressure on natural resources, halting biodiversity loss, achieving climate neutrality by 2050, and building a more competitive Europe.

The Circular Economy Act aims to establish a single market for secondary raw materials, increase the supply of high-quality recycled materials and stimulate demand for these materials within the EU, which seeks to be the world leader in the circular economy by 2030.

The circularity rate is one way to measure how circular the economy is by showing how much of the materials we use are recycled or reused instead of being thrown away. Right now, Europe’s circularity rate is about 12%, but the goal is to double that by 2030.

The United States’ circularity rate is about 15%.

12:13

The International Surface Fabricators Association and the American Countertop Manufacturers Council will hold its next Regional Countertop and Surfaces Summit on July 21-23, hosted by Spaulding Fabricators Inc. and OHM International.

The first two days will be spent at Spaulding’s facility in Brick Township, N.J., where the focus will be on solid surface training for beginners.

The third day will be hosted by OHM at its Monroe Township, N.J., facility, where topics will include:

  • The path to nationally enforced licensing;
  • A shop and showroom tour;
  • A lunch-and-learn session on silica awareness training with the federal Occupational
  • Safety and Health Administration (OSHA);
  • Compliance and readiness, and;
  • Open discussion.

For more information or to register, go to www.isfanow.org.

13:09

Remember, the latest issue of Stone Update Magazine is now available at www.stonemag.com. For a transcript of this podcast, go to www.radiostoneupdate.com. I’m K. Schipper for Radio Stone Update, and we’ll see you here again soon.