Quartz Countertop Workers Are Falling Prey To Lung Disease

MONDAY, Aug. 17, 2026 (HealthDay News) — There’s a rapidly growing epidemic of lung disease among craftspeople working with quartz countertops, a new study says.

More and more quartz workers are developing silicosis, an incurable and progressive lung disease caused by inhaling silica dust, researchers reported Aug. 12 in the New England Journal of Medicine Evidence.

Researchers identified 592 cases of silicosis among quartz countertop fabrication workers in California between January 2019 and June 2026.

Of those workers, 65 underwent lung transplants and 31 died.

"Hundreds of workers have been sickened making quartz countertops, a product we do not need, especially when a safer alternative is available,” senior researcher David Michaels said in a news release. He is a professor of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. 

“Given the hundreds of diagnosed cases of silicosis in California, there are likely thousands of more cases across the country,” Michaels said. “Health care practitioners and public health departments should be on the lookout for cases and join the effort to stop this epidemic and save workers' lives."

Inhaled silica dust can damage the immune cells in the tiny air sacs deep inside the lungs, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Over time, the dust causes inflammation and scarring in the lungs, leading to permanent lung damage. Symptoms can include fatigue, a chronic cough and shortness of breath.

Engineered quartz typically contains more than 90% crystalline silica, placing workers who cut, grind and polish the material at high risk.

The report highlighted several alarming trends:

• Workers are being diagnosed with silicosis at relatively young ages, after only short periods of exposure.

• Cases progress quickly and can require lung transplantation.

• Workers often experience other diseases linked to silica exposure, including autoimmune diseases and tuberculosis.

• Hazardous workplace exposures occur despite strict California regulations.

• The true number of silicosis cases is probably higher, as workers often go undiagnosed or are diagnosed much later in life.

Australia has a nationwide ban on engineered stone containing crystalline silica, researchers noted. The United States should consider such a step to protect workers’ health, they said.

More information

The Cleveland Clinic has more on silicosis.

SOURCE: George Washington University, news release, Aug. 12, 2026