Published: 22:48 BST, 14 August 2026 | Updated: 22:48 BST, 14 August 2026
Nearly three dozen people have died and hundreds have been sickened with a deadly lung disease after working on trendy quartz countertops.
In a new report, health officials in California said they had recorded 31 fatalities and 600 illnesses due to a condition linked to the countertops since 2019, with cases surging in recent years.
All patients were diagnosed with silicosis, or 'black lung,' an incurable lung disease that leaves patients struggling to breathe and at higher risk of infection.
Quartz countertops have become increasingly popular in recent years, prized for their durability, resistance and the fact they are cheaper than stone or marble.
Made from 90 percent silica and 10 percent resin and pigments, when they are cut into their final form by workers they release fine silica dust into the air.
This can be breathed in by workers and, once inhaled into the lungs, the particles can become trapped in the lung tissue, triggering scarring and silicosis.
There is no cure for the condition, and the only effective treatment is a lung transplant.
Trendy quartz countertops for kitchens are being linked to a spike in silicosis cases among workers (stock image)
When cut, the countertops release silica dust, which can be breathed in by workers and damage their lungs (stock image)
In the report, released this week, health officials said that patients were 45 years old on average, while, among those who died, the average age was 52 years.
Sixty-five of the cases also resulted in a lung transplant, they said, while 113 were referred for the procedure.
From 2019, California was recording four to five cases of silicosis every year, the report suggests.
But since 2021, that number has surged into double digits. In 2025, 103 cases were confirmed while, so far in 2026, 150 cases have been detected.
It is not clear why cases are surging, but experts say this may be linked to rising awareness of the condition leading to more patients coming forward. In some cases, the condition is also initially misdiagnosed.
