A serious lung disease once associated mainly with miners is now appearing among workers who cut and polish engineered stone countertops. Doctors say the condition, known as silicosis, is being diagnosed in younger workers exposed to dust from quartz-based materials that contain high levels of crystalline silica.
When engineered stone is cut or sanded, it releases microscopic silica particles that can lodge deep in the lungs. Over time, repeated exposure can trigger inflammation and permanent scarring that makes breathing increasingly difficult. Physicians treating occupational lung disease say the number of cases among countertop fabrication workers has risen sharply in recent years, with many patients developing severe disease in their 30s and 40s.
Health experts warn that once lung scarring begins, the damage cannot be reversed and treatment options are limited. Some patients ultimately require lung transplants to survive. Researchers say improved dust controls, ventilation and protective equipment can reduce exposure, but the growing number of cases has raised concerns about whether the high-silica material can be handled safely in small fabrication shops.
SOURCE:
CBS News, March 12, 2026