31 dead, nearly 600 ill due to lung disease linked to stone countertop exposure: study
byJESSICA A. BOTELHO | The National News Desk
Sat, August 15, 2026 at 10:56 AM
31 dead, nearly 600 ill due to lung disease linked to stone countertop exposure: study (Photo: The National News Desk)
California identified nearly 600 cases of silicosis, a deadly lung disease, among workers in the state who fabricated engineered-stone countertops since the start of 2019, according to a new public health report
The California Department of Public Health published the findings on Wednesday in NEJM Evidence, noting that 592 cases included 31 deaths and65 people who underwent lung transplants
31 dead, nearly 600 ill due to lung disease linked to stone countertop exposure: reportPDF preview
31 dead, nearly 600 ill due to lung disease linked to stone countertop exposure: report
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“Silicosis is a progressive, incurable fibrotic lung disease caused by inhalation of respirable crystalline silica,” according to the report. “Over the past two decades, a growing risk has been recognized among workers fabricating crystalline silica- containing engineered stone countertops.
Engineered-stone slabs, often marketed as quartz countertops, can contain at least 90% crystalline silica, the report noted. Workers can be exposed when cutting or finishing countertops, per the report
The cases identified from January 2019 through June 2026 were notable for patients’ relatively young ages, short exposure periods, and rapid progression of disease, health officials said
The department said the median age at diagnosis was 46, while workers who died from silicosis had a median age of 52
Nearly all of the people diagnosed were men, and 98% were Latino, according to the report
California’s surveillance program expanded after the state identified its first known case among a countertop fabrication worker in 2019, per the report. That worker was diagnosed when he was 32 years old and died of respiratory failure at 38, the report noted
The report said California’s efforts have led to stronger silica regulations and more surveillance requirements, but added that regulators still face challenges enforcing workplace rule
“Despite these interventions, hazardous worker exposures persist in California,” according to the report. “Although California’s silicosis surveillance has expanded, the true burden of disease remains underestimated, because the system relies largely on passive reporting of diagnosed disease. Although case identification through active screening has increased through improved worker and clinicians’ awareness, screening is inconsistent, and misdiagnosis remains common.”
