UK urged to consider ban on artificial stone worktops over silicosis risk

The government should consider banning artificial stone countertops due to the increase in the number of incurable diseases linked to their production, experts say.

A leading medical expert has called for urgent action to protect workers who cut the material.

Artificial stone kitchen worktops are cheaper than natural stone such as granite or marble, but contain significantly more silicon.

According to experts, workers cutting the material can inhale high concentrations of silica dust, which can lead to silicosis, a fatal lung disease.

Last year, the first case of the disease was identified in the UK, which was linked to artificial stone cutting. Artificial stone is made of crushed stones bonded together with resins and pigments. Doctors have since seen a rise in the number of cases.

Experts have documented the first eight cases in the United Kingdom in a paper. The cases are all men, with an average age of 34. Researchers said one has since died.

Dr Jo Feary, a consultant in occupational lung disease at Royal Brompton Hospital and lead author of the paper, told PA Media: “I think there needs to be urgent attention paid to this disease.”

“What’s really striking is that it’s affecting young people, in their 20s and 30s, and there’s no treatment for it… If they weren’t doing their jobs, they wouldn’t have the disease, and it should be preventable. So we need urgent action.”

Since July, artificial stone has been banned in Australia due to an increase in the number of silicosis cases.

The condition occurs when silica dust is inhaled, causing inflammation in the lungs and gradually leading to hardened and scarred tissue that cannot function properly. This in turn can lead to persistent cough, shortness of breath, weakness and fatigue.

There is no known cure for the disease, although some people with the condition have had lung transplants. Therefore, researchers say prevention of the disease is key.

According to Dr Christopher Barber from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, these cases are expected to pose a major challenge for doctors.

On a possible ban, he said a change in the law in the 1920s was “successful in protecting the cutlery workers in Sheffield”, leading to the industry switching to non-silica grinding wheels.

Another study, led by Dr Patrick Howlett, a clinical researcher at the Medical Research Council at Imperial College London, shows that limiting exposure to silica dust may help.

“This study supports the reduction of permissible exposure limits over an eight-hour work shift,” he said. “Although lowering exposure limits in various settings is challenging, it has been shown to be feasible.

“We believe it is important to reduce the number of cases of silicosis, given the seriousness of the disease.”

A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said: “Our condolences go out to those who have lost loved ones to work-related illness.

“The UK has a robust and well-established regulatory framework to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.

“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica and are considering options for future interventions to ensure workers are protected.”