A growing number of young UK stonemasons are being diagnosed with a deadly lung disease linked to cutting and polishing engineered stone used in kitchen worktops - prompting urgent calls for government action and tougher workplace protections

Medical experts have confirmed that cases of silicosis, a potentially fatal lung disease, are rising sharply among tradespeople who work with engineered stone, also known as quartz.

Dr Johanna Feary, a consultant in occupational lung disease at the Royal Brompton Hospital, reported that confirmed UK cases have seen a 460% increase in less than a year. Many of the patients are in their twenties and thirties, with the youngest just 23 and already awaiting a lung transplant.

“These are young men who have worked only a few years in the trade,” Dr Feary explained. “By the time symptoms appear, the damage is already done.”

The Engineered Stone Problem

Engineered stone, now a popular choice in modern kitchen renovations, contains up to 95% crystalline silica - far more than natural granite or marble. When the material is dry-cut or polished, microscopic dust particles can be released into the air.

If inhaled, these particles lodge deep in the lungs, causing scarring that limits oxygen intake and can lead to chronic breathlessness, lung failure, and even cancer.

Doctors describe engineered stone silicosis as faster progressing and deadlier than traditional forms of the disease.

Lessons from Abroad

In Australia, hundreds of workers have been diagnosed since 2015, leading to them being the first country to announce a nationwide ban on engineered stone in 2024. 

Screening programmes revealed over 500 cases among stonemasons, many of whom had only short-term exposure.

Experts warn that the UK could face a similar epidemic unless it acts now.

“An Epidemic in the Making”

At a recent All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) meeting on Occupational Safety & Health, doctors, lawyers and union leaders warned that the UK is “only seeing the tip of the iceberg.”

Many workers are employed by small firms on zero-hour contracts, often with minimal health surveillance or access to protective equipment. According to trade union representatives, many are also migrant or non-unionised workers, making them particularly vulnerable to unsafe conditions.

“We’re going to see an epidemic of this over the next few years,” said Joe Clarke, Unite’s national officer for construction. “You only need to look at how many homes now feature quartz worktops to understand the scale of the risk.”

The Human Cost

Dr Feary described the devastating personal toll: young men left unable to work, struggling to breathe, and in some cases facing eviction as their illness forces them onto universal credit.

“If they had asbestos-related cancer, they’d receive quicker compensation,” she said. “But these workers are not only scared for their lives - they’re scared of losing their homes.”

One patient, Marek Marzec, 48, spoke publicly from his hospital bed shortly before he died of silicosis in 2023. His story has become a rallying point for campaigners calling for tighter regulation.

The Call for Reform

Unions and campaigners, including Thompsons Solicitors and the TUC, are urging the Government and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to introduce:

• A ban on engineered stone until proven safe
• National screening for at-risk workers
• Stronger enforcement of dust control standards under COSHH regulations
• Better compensation for affected workers

Baroness Rita Donaghy, a member of the APPG, said the HSE must be “rebuilt” after years of underfunding, while industrial disease lawyer Daniel Poet stressed:

“Silicosis is entirely preventable - yet we are seeing younger and younger workers with life-changing and fatal conditions. Employers have a legal duty to protect, and too many are failing.”

The Bottom Line

Silicosis has existed for centuries, but the rise of engineered stone has brought it into a new and deadly era. With over 1,000 silica-related deaths a year already estimated in the UK, experts warn that unless stronger action is taken, the human and economic cost will only grow.

For now, one message is clear: The kitchen of the future must not come at the cost of workers’ lungs.

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