Health warning as trendy kitchen quartz worktops could risk incurable disease
They are a feature in millions of homes but in the last year there have been 11 cases and one death in the UK linked to the material.
There are growing concerns about quartz kitchen worktops after the material used to make them has been linked to a deadly lung disease.
The uber-trendy - and pretty pricey - countertops have become a feature in millions of homes across the country.
However, they could soon be a building material of the past as worries intensify over their safety as they’ve been linked to a deadly lung condition – artificial stone silicosis.
In the last year, there have been 11 UK cases including one death from the progressive disease which is caused by breathing in crystalline silica dust during manufacturing or fitting according to a medical paper BMJs Thorax Journal.
The most expensive quality quartz worktops can cost anywhere from £450 to £900 per square metre and are typically composed of about 90 percent ground quartz and 10 percent resins and pigments.
The cases all involve men, with an average age of 34 and tragically researchers said one had since died, reports The Guardian.
Dr Jo Feary, a consultant in occupational lung diseases at Royal Brompton Hospital and the lead author of the paper, said: “I think there needs to be an urgent focus on this disease.”
“What’s really striking is it is affecting young people, in their 20s and 30s, and there’s no treatment for it … If they didn’t do their job, they wouldn’t have a disease, and it should be preventable. So we need urgent action,” reports PA Media.
Engineered stone has been banned in Australia since July after a rise in silicosis cases.
The condition occurs when the silica dust is inhaled which can happen when it's prepared for fitting.
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This causes inflammation in the lungs and gradually leads to hardened and scarred tissue that is unable to function properly. Eventually, this can lead to a persistent cough, shortness of breath, weakness and tiredness.
There is currently no known cure, however, some with the condition have received lung transplants.
A HSE spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with those who have lost loved ones to any work-related disease.
“Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.
“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica and we are considering options for future interventions to ensure workers are protected,” reports MailOnline.
