There are growing calls to ban popular kitchen benchtops which are killing Australians.

A growing number of stonemasons are suing their employers for failing to provide safe working environments after they contracted silicosis while working on engineered stone benchtops. The Age reports that more than 70 cases of silicosis have been filed in Victoria and Queensland in the past three years.

Silicosis is an incurable, debilitating and sometimes fatal lung disease caused by inhaling tiny particles of crystalline silica dust.

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Assistant Secretary at Australian Council of Trade Unions, Liam O’Brien, told 6PR Breakfast there are simple and practical solutions to this problem.

“This is effectively a fashion product, it is not an essential building material – there are plenty of safer alternatives,” Mr O’Brien said.