By looking at the silicosis tree, we might miss the forest of dust

Rumours of a TV report on the increasing hazards of silicosis have floated around for a week or so.  On October 10 2018, the show appeared on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s 7.30 program.  But the story is much bigger than the ten minutes or so on that program.

The focus is understandably on silica but perhaps that is too specific.  Maybe the issue of dust, in general, needs more attention.

However, Dr Ryan Hoy, a major speaker on the 7.30 program, had much more to say on the issue of silica dust at the ANZSOM Scientific Meeting earlier this week where he said that the use of engineered stone in Australia should be reconsidered.