Artificial stone used in kitchen and bathroom countertops has been linked to causes of death and lung disease for workers who cut and grind the material, NPR reports. Workers who create engineered stone may be exposed to and inhaling dangerous amounts of silica dust, and many workers have been diagnosed with silicosis, a progressive disease with no treatment except a lung transplant. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found 18 cases of illness, including two deaths, among engineered-stone workers in California, Colorado, Texas, and Washington.
"I am concerned that what we may be seeing here may just be the tip of the iceberg," says Dr. Amy Heinzerling, an epidemic intelligence service officer with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who is assigned to the California Department of Public Health.
Engineered stone took off as a popular option for countertops about a decade ago and is now one of the most common choices for kitchens and bathrooms. From 2010 to 2018, imports of the material rose about 800%.
Manufacturers say the material is preferable to natural stone because it's less likely to crack or stain. Companies make their engineered stone by embedding bits of quartz in a resin binder, and that means it's almost entirely composed of crystalline silica.
"Engineered stone typically contains over 90% silica," says Heinzerling. "Granite, for instance, usually contains less than 45% silica. Marble usually contains less than 10%."
While all this silica isn't a concern once the countertop is installed in a kitchen or bathroom, it is a potential problem for the businesses that cut slabs of this artificial stone to the right shape for customers.
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