But they are - and the article mentions it. Alterations years later will still Produce dust.

Altering the manufactured stone is a deliberate act, and appropriate safety precautions can be mandated. (If people choose not to take those safety precautions, that's on them.)

Asbestos can get into your air through accidental damage to insulation, or in the case of lead, paint chipping or pipes aging can do the trick. This is just something that happens incidentally through the regular lifetime of the material, not because someone decided to do something to it.

Countertops are isolated units that can be removed safely without damaging them. Worst alteration I can think of is drilling a hole, another small operation that you can cover with water and vacuum.

Opening up a dry wall on the other hand, will inevitably dust up the whole house.

Install a new sink, gotta enlarge the opening, make lots of dust...