Quartz countertops are driving a public health crisis in the US – 2 occupational health experts explain the surge of lung transplants and lawsuits

Workers are facing a preventable and incurable lung disease from a material being used to renovate kitchens in millions of American homes.

By: David Michaels, George Washington University and Robert Harrison, University of California, San Francisco, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: June 18, 2026

Words: 1,360

Last Updated: 1 month ago

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By David Michaels, George Washington University and Robert Harrison, University of California, San Francisco

If you walk into a Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s and order a countertop for your kitchen renovation, the store will likely contract with a local fabrication shop, instructing them to make one from a material called engineered stone.

Often marketed as “quartz,” engineered stone is a synthetic product that contains up to 95% finely ground quartz mixed with polyester …

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