This popular kitchen countertop could cause life-threatening lung disease, experts warn - Silicon Canals

"The sleek, durable countertops that have become a fixture in modern American kitchens are at the center of a growing health crisis. Engineered stone, commonly marketed as quartz countertops, has been linked to an incurable and often fatal lung disease called silicosis among workers who cut, polish, and install these popular surfaces. As cases surge across the United States, medical professionals and occupational safety experts are calling for urgent action to protect vulnerable workers from what some describe as a preventable epidemic."

"Engineered stone differs dramatically from natural stone in one critical way: its silica content. While granite typically contains 10 to 45 percent crystalline silica and marble less than 5 percent, engineered stone contains more than 90 percent crystalline silica. This manufactured material consists of crushed quartz bound together with resins and pigments, creating a uniform, customizable surface that has driven its popularity in residential and commercial construction."

"The scale of exposure in engineered stone fabrication far exceeds that of traditional stonework. Workers processing these materials face silica concentrations that can reach dozens of times the federally permitted exposure limit, even when standard dust control measures are in place. The extremely high silica content, combined with the fine particle size of the dust generated, creates a uniquely dangerous occupational hazard."

Engineered stone countertops contain more than 90 percent crystalline silica, made of crushed quartz bound with resins and pigments. Cutting, grinding, and polishing these slabs releases massive quantities of respirable silica dust. Inhaled particles lodge deep in lung tissue, causing inflammation, scarring, and progressive silicosis that often is incurable and fatal. Silicosis increases susceptibility to infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, autoimmune disorders, and lung cancer. Fabrication of engineered stone produces silica concentrations that can exceed federal exposure limits by dozens of times, even with standard dust control. Cases of silicosis among fabricators and installers are surging across the United States, creating an urgent occupational health crisis.

Read at Silicon Canals