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

• Popular quartz countertops are linked to a growing number of cases of lung disease called silicosis

• Marek Marzec, a dad of three, was given weeks to live due to silicosis after spending over a decade working for manufacturers of quartz countertops

• Following a new study linking quartz countertops to silicosis, California is considering banning the engineered stone

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

Marek Marzec, a dad of three from Poland, was diagnosed with silicosis in April after over a decade working for engineered stone manufacturers across the UK. The 48-year-old described “appalling” work conditions and the impact of the “lethal” dust produced by cutting quartz countertops.

“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, via The 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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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.

Silicosis is a long-term lung disease caused by inhaling very tiny crystalline particles of silicon dioxide, or silica, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Exposure to silica is often work-related and typically seen in fields like construction, stonework, mining, pottery and more.

A study published July 24 in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine analyzed 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.

There is no cure for silicosis, and it can be deadly. The condition can be prevented by reducing exposure to silica dust. It can also be managed with supplemental oxygen or a bronchodilator to improve airflow.

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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.

“I cannot tell you how angry I am that I was allowed to work in these conditions and that my life has been cut short simply for doing my job,” he said. “I am not the only person whose life has been put at risk by this lethal dust. It is time for urgent action to stop these dangerous working conditions I had to face before other stone workers contract this terrible disease and die.”

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 told NBC. “I anticipate that a lot of folks are walking around that probably have silicosis and don’t know it yet.”

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Last year, Australia became the first country to fully ban engineered 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 a press release.

Because those regulations may not be followed, the state's Division of Occupational Safety and Health said 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.

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