Nearly three dozen people dead and hundreds sickened from exposure to trendy countertops

Nearly three dozen people have died and hundreds have been sickened with a deadly lung disease after working on trendy quartz countertops. 

In a new report, health officials in California said they had recorded 31 fatalities and 600 illnesses due to a condition linked to the countertops since 2019, with cases surging in recent years.

All patients were diagnosed with silicosis, or ‘black lung,’ an incurable lung disease that leaves patients struggling to breathe and at higher risk of infection.

Quartz countertops have become increasingly popular in recent years, prized for their durability, resistance and the fact they are cheaper than stone or marble.

Made from 90 percent silica and 10 percent resin and pigments, when they are cut into their final form by workers they release fine silica dust into the air.

This can be breathed in by workers and, once inhaled into the lungs, the particles can become trapped in the lung tissue, triggering scarring and silicosis.

There is no cure for the condition, and the only effective treatment is a lung transplant. 

In the report, released this week, health officials said that patients were 45 years old on average, while, among those who died, the average age was 52 years.

Sixty-five of the cases also resulted in a lung transplant, they said, while 113 were referred for the procedure.

Almost all were men and from a Latino background.

From 2019, California was recording four to five cases of silicosis every year, the report suggests.

But since 2021, that number has surged into double digits. In 2025, 103 cases were confirmed while, so far in 2026, 150 cases have been detected.

It is not clear why cases are surging, but experts say this may be linked to rising awareness of the condition leading to more patients coming 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 been sickened making quartz countertops, a product we do not need, especially when a safer alternative is available.

‘Given the hundreds of diagnosed cases of silicosis in California, there are likely thousands of more cases across the country.

‘Health care practitioners and public health departments should be on the lookout for casesa and join the effort to stop this epidemic and save workers lives.’

Experts hope that the report may now underline the need for greater surveillance of silicosis across the US. 

It is not clear how many people in the US may have silicosis, but the American Lung Association estimates 2.3 million workers in the US are exposed to silica in the workplace, including 2 million in construction.

A 2023 study that analyzed official data suggested that West Virginia had the highest rates of silicosis in the US, followed by New Mexico and Nevada. 

Those who are at risk of the condition are people that chip, cut, drill or grind quartz, granite, sandstone or other materials that can expose them to silica dust. 

Alongside countertop fabrication workers, those who work in demolition, mining and foundries are also considered to be at higher risk. 

People who have quartz countertops in their homes are not considered to be at risk from silicosis because they are not cutting into the stone. 

Warning signs of the condition include a long-lasting cough, difficulty breathing and chest or back pain. It can also trigger fatigue, muscle weakness, unexplained weight loss, fever, night sweats and chest pain.

The American Lung Association says it is possible to prevent silica dust exposure by wearing tight-fitting N95 masks while working with substances that can release the dust.

Employers in the US are required by law to protect their workers from silica, the organization adds.