Health officials in Massachusetts have reported the state’s first case of silicosis that cannot be cured. This deadly lung disease is directly connected to years of working with engineered kitchen stones like quartz. These countertops have become extremely popular in modern kitchens across the country.
According to Fox News, the patient is a 40-year-old man who spent 14 years working in the stone countertop business. Silicosis happens when workers breathe in crystalline silica dust. This dust comes from cutting, grinding, or polishing stone. Once inhaled, the dust scars lung tissue and makes breathing very difficult. The condition gets worse over time and cannot be reversed.
