California Weighs Engineered Stone Curbs After 600 Silicosis Cases and 65 Lung Transplants
Updated
Updated · KQED · Aug 17
California Weighs Engineered Stone Curbs After 600 Silicosis Cases and 65 Lung Transplants
3 articles · Updated · KQED · Aug 17
Summary
More than 600 California stoneworkers have developed silicosis since 2019, with dozens dead and at least 65 needing lung transplants, as the state moves toward restricting engineered stone used in countertops.
Doctors say cutting and polishing the silica-heavy material releases fine particles that scar lungs permanently; the disease can keep worsening even after exposure stops, and no proven treatment exists beyond last-resort transplants.
California’s tracking shows many victims are men in their 30s to 50s, and 98% of identified cases are among Latino men, underscoring the burden on immigrant workers in the construction trade.
Manufacturers are resisting tighter limits and backing federal legislation that would shield them from worker lawsuits, setting up a fight over whether California bans the material or relies on alternatives and workplace protections.