Nearly three dozen people have died and hundreds have fallen ill with a fatal lung disease after working on trendy quartz countertops.
In a new report, health officials say California said they had recorded 31 fatalities and 600 illnesses due to a condition linked to the worksheets since 2019, with cases soaring in recent years.
All patients were diagnosed with silicosisor ‘black lung’, an incurable lung disease that causes patients to have difficulty breathing and is at greater risk of infection.
Quartz countertops have become increasingly popular in recent years and are valued for their durability, resistance and the fact that they are cheaper than stone or marble.
Made of 90 percent silica and 10 percent resin and pigments, the workers, when cut into their final shape, release fine silica dust into the air.
This can be inhaled by workers and once inhaled into the lungs, the particles can become lodged in lung tissue, causing scarring and silicosis.
There is no cure for the condition and the only effective treatment is a lung transplant.
Trendy quartz kitchen countertops have been linked to a spike in silicosis cases among workers (stock image)
When cutting, the countertops release silica dust, which can be inhaled by workers and damage their lungs (stock image)
In the report released this week, health officials said patients were on average 45 years old, while among those who died the average age was 52.
Sixty-five of the cases also resulted in a lung transplant, they said, while 113 were referred for the procedure.
Almost all of them were men and had a Latino background.
As of 2019, California recorded four to five cases of silicosis each year, the report suggests.
But since 2021, that number has increased by double digits. In 2025, 103 cases were confirmed, while 150 cases have been detected so far in 2026.
It is not clear why the number of cases is increasing, but experts say it may be related to increasing awareness of the condition, which is causing more patients to come forward. In some cases, the condition is also initially misdiagnosed.
Dr. David Michaels, an occupational health expert who led the report, said: ‘Hundreds of workers have become ill from making quartz worktops, a product we don’t need, especially when a safer alternative is available.
“Given the hundreds of diagnosed cases of silicosis in California, there are likely thousands more cases nationwide.
The graph above shows the number of silicosis cases diagnosed per year in California
“Health care practitioners and public health departments must be alert to cases and join efforts to stop this epidemic and save the lives of workers.”
Experts hope the report can now underscore the need for greater surveillance of silicosis in the US.
It is not clear how many people in the US may have silicosis, but the American Lung Association estimates that 2.3 million US workers are exposed to silica in the workplace, including 2 million in the construction industry.
A 2023 study analyzing official data suggested that West Virginia had the highest silicosis rates in the US, followed by New Mexico and Nevada.
Those at risk for the condition are people who chop, cut, drill or grind quartz, granite, sandstone or other materials that could expose them to silica dust.
In addition to workers who make countertops, those who work in demolition, mining and foundries are also at higher risk.
People who have quartz countertops in their homes are not considered to be at risk for silicosis because they do not cut into the stone.
Warning signs of the condition include prolonged cough, difficulty breathing, and chest or back pain. It can also cause fatigue, muscle weakness, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats and chest pain.
The American Lung Association says it is possible to prevent exposure to silica dust by wearing tight-fitting N95 masks while working with substances that can release the dust.
Employers in the US are legally required to protect their workers from silica, the organization adds.
