Quartz Countertops Found in High-End Kitchens Generate 'Lethal Dust' Linked to Lung Disease

Mar. 15, 2025

Marec Marzec; Stock image of a quartz countertop.Photo:SWNS; Getty

SWNS; Getty

Quartz countertops, a staple in many high-end kitchens, are being linked to an alarming number of cases of lung disease.

“I arrived in the UK hoping to build a better life and wanting to make sure that my young daughters were financially secure,” he told South West News Service, viaThe Daily Mail. “Instead, because of the work I did cutting quartz worktops, I have been left unable to breathe and in terrible pain.”

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Marek Marzec has the lung disease silicosis.SWNS

SWNS

Quartz countertops have become increasingly popular for home renovators and designers due to their durability and resistance to damage compared to natural stone. However, quartz — also called engineered stone — contains more than 90% silica and generates fine dust when cut, which can lead to silicosis.

Astudypublished July 24 in the journalJAMA Internal Medicineanalyzed 52 cases of silicosis among workers in California who fabricate quartz countertops. Of those cases, 10 workers died and three required lung transplants. Researchers estimated that 100,000 workers in the U.S. are potentially at risk of silicosis due to exposure to silica dust.

Marzec said that his condition had deteriorated quickly since his diagnosis and he was given just weeks to live as he’s too sick to undergo a lung transplant.

Quartz countertops are often found in high-end kitchens.Getty

Getty

Dr. Jane Fazio, pulmonary specialist at Olive View-UCLA Medical Center and study co-author, said fabrication shops should be offering medical exams to workers who are exposed to high levels of silica dust for 30 or more days per year.

“Everyone who works in the industry should get a baseline X-ray and lung function test, and then thereafter every three years, but really, that’s not happening,” she toldNBC. “I anticipate that a lot of folks are walking around that probably have silicosis and don’t know it yet.”

Marek Marzec in the hospital for silicosis.SWNS

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Last year, Australia became the first country tofully banengineered stone, citing the industry’s failure to protect workers from silica dust exposure.

California is now considering taking similar steps. In December 2023, the state issued a series of regulations in order to “protect workers engaged in high-exposure tasks such as cutting, grinding, polishing and cleanup of artificial stone,” the California Department of Industrial Relations said in apress release.

Because those regulations may not be followed, the state’sDivision of Occupational Safety and Healthsaid they will implement regular inspections and an advisory committee will be “immediately convened to develop plans for prohibiting the use of engineered stone products in California” if there isn’t widespread compliance.

source: people.com