silica cancer

Silicosis and Quartz. I am going to explain the ubiquitous dangers of Silica and the increasing popularity of home stone countertops. I will be focusing on the debilitating effects of Silicosis lung disease and its catastrophic effects on stone workers.

Silicosis and Quartz countertops. Injured? Call Dr. Shezad Malik at 214-390-3189

Sales of engineered quartz stone countertops have risen more than 600% in the U.S. in the last 10 years. The popularity of quartz as a countertop material is due the the aggressive marketing campaign. Quartz is marketed as a more durable material more versatile and less maintenance than the natural stone alternatives.

Quartz countertops have exploded in popularity over the past few years, but medical research suggests that the stone material is a deadly lung injury risk to the workers who process and make it.

Engineered stone workers are at risk of developing silicosis, a severe and incurable lung disease. The risk of silicosis from artificial stone was first identified in Israel in 2012. The first case of silicosis and quartz was linked to engineered stone in the US and was identified in Texas in 2015.

Engineered stone is a quartz-based composite material that can contain more than 90% crystalline silica. This is different from natural stone, like granite, which contains about 30% silica. The high silica content in engineered stone leads to an accelerated form of silicosis.