Quartz countertops usually cost thousands of dollars to install, but remain popular due to their look and durability. However, they may be hiding a dark secret.
According to a study published Monday in the JAMA journal, men who worked with quartz have developed silicosis, a lung disease that can lead to permanent scarring. Out of the 52 patients covered by the study, 19% died.
While quartz countertops look like they are made out of natural materials, they are actually man made, an article in Forbes explained.
“They are created by combining natural quartz and minerals with chemical resins and pigments,” it said. “The manufacturing process allows unparalleled creative options. Made of 93% natural stone, they’re an excellent example of human ingenuity and nature combined.”
Dust created during the process to make this material, also known as engineered stone, has a high silica content, per the recent study. Back in 2019, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced an “outbreak of silicosis” among people who worked with “quartz surfacing.”
All of the patients included in the recent study were from California and they had occupational exposure to quartz dust related to fabrication of countertops. They were identified by statewide surveillance by the California Department of Public Health (2019-2022) and analysis was performed from October 2022 to March 2023.
“In this case series of 52 patients, the median age was 45 years at diagnosis, and nearly all were Latino immigrant men,” said the study. “Diagnosis was delayed in 58%, with 38% presenting with advanced disease (progressive massive fibrosis).”
An estimated 2.3 million U.S. workers are exposed to silica in their workplaces, according to the American Lung Association. If they develop silicosis, complications can include tuberculosis, lung cancer, chronic bronchitis, autoimmune disorders and kidney disease. Currently, there is no cure for silicosis, which is a progressive disease that can take 10 to 30 years to develop.
“Things are heading in the direction that we feared. We’ve had more and more people presenting very severely,” said Dr. Sheiphali Gandhi – a pulmonologist at the University of California, San Francisco, and one of the authors of the recent study – in an interview with NPR.
As of this week, officials have so far identified 77 sickened workers, said the outlet.
“And they’re all very young,” Gandhi said.
In a video posted by the Georgia Institute of Technology, a man named Ever Ramón said that he loved his job working with quartz, but that nobody explained the risks to him.
“One does not realize that the work, as beautiful as it is, is also harmful,” he said.
He broke down in tears recounting the doctor visit that revealed the impact silica had on his body. Through the Georgia Institute of Technology’s “Stop Silicosis Forever” initiative, it advocates for safer conditions, including improved ventilation and masks, for people who work with engineered stone.
Related
Related
