Doctors are warning about a ‘new and emerging’ epidemic driven by stylish and durable quartz countertops.
Dust released when the stone is cut is breathed in by workers causes irreversible scarring to the lungs, leaving patients struggling with shortness of breath and a painful cough.
Known as silicosis or ‘black lung’, it is effectively a death sentence unless the person undergoes lung transplants, which only buy them a handful of years.
The condition was previously thought to be fading with fewer than five cases recorded in California every year, but since 2019 scientists in the state have registered at least 70 cases.
Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, warn that a new type of quartz countertop that releases more silica dust when it is cut is behind the surge. They also warn that doctors are underdiagnosing the condition.
In their study, the scientists found that up to four in five cases of silicosis were missed upon initial examination — with patients instead more likely to be told they had a lung infection. This delayed critical and potentially life-saving treatment.
They also found that in 48 percent of cases, patients had ‘atypical’ features in their lungs — or shifts that would not normally be seen in scans.
Dr Sundus Lateef, a radiologist who led the analysis, said: ‘This is a new and emerging epidemic, and we must increase awareness of this disease process so we can avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment for our patients.’
Above is Marek Marzec, from the UK, who has been diagnosed with silicosis at the age of 48 years. He had spent a decade working with quartz worktops while working as a stone cutter
Californian Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez has a severe case of silicosis from cutting countertops
In the study, presented at the annual conference of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago, researchers examined the CT scans and lung function tests of 55 workers diagnosed with the disease.
All were male, Hispanic, aged around 43 years and were exposed to silica dust for an average of 18 years.
Each was also symptomatic, with most suffering from shortness of breathe and/or a cough, and living in an urban area outside of Los Angeles.
In a preliminary analysis of 21 patients, researchers found that only four cases — or 19 percent — were diagnosed correctly upon their initial visit by primary care doctors.
For radiologists, they found only seven patients — 33 percent — were diagnosed correctly on their first visit.
In most cases, the researchers found that patients were given alternative diagnoses such as an infection.
The doctors warned that a new countertop type was behind a rise in cases, which is called engineered quartz and is made via holding quartz shards together with a resin. It typically contains much more silicon.
Inspections shows that more than half of workplaces in California that cut quartz exceed the maximum permissible limit for silica dust in the air.
Workers can reduce their exposure via wearing face masks or using a cutting machine that sprays water onto the stone at the same time — preventing silica dust from becoming airborne.
The above shows a quartz countertop in a kitchen. It releases silicon dust while being cut, which can raise the risk of lung disease for workers
The above shows the case count by year for patients being diagnosed with silicosis. It is based on 52 cases and the graph was published last year
But researchers say that many of the workers in these industries are immigrants and Hispanic, who are vulnerable to exploitation.
Dr Lateef added: ‘There is a critical lack of exposure and screening for workers in the engineered stone manufacturing industry.
‘There needs to be a push for earlier screening and advocacy for this vulnerable population, which in our case were Spanish-speaking immigrant workers.’
More than 2million workers in the construction industry in the US are estimated to be exposed to silica dust every year.
Scientists say it poses a risk because of the tiny particles that become airborne and can be breathed in by workers, causing scarring in the lungs.
The American Lung Association says that over 10 to 30 years of working with the stone, workers can suffer from nodules forming in their lungs — which reduce the lung’s capacity and make it harder for them to breathe.
In severe cases, a condition called Progressive Massic Fibrosis (PMF) can emerge, where extreme scarring stiffens the lungs — which normally move with every breath — making it difficult to breathe.
They also warn that patients may be left needing oxygen and other devices to help them breathe.
There is no cure for the disease, doctors say, which also raises the risk of suffering from other health problems such as tuberculosis, lung cancer and chronic bronchitis.
In a study on 52 cases of silicosis published last year, doctors found that ten patients had died — 20 percent — while 11 were referred for lung transplants, of which three received them.