Silicosis may be an unfamiliar disease to many, but for those who have renovated their countertops using engineered stone, experts are warning that the decision could open up new health risks.
A joint investigation by the NBC4 I-Team and Telemundo 52 Investiga revealed that the condition, characterized by irreversible lung damage, primarily affects workers who cut artificial stone.
Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, who was diagnosed with silicosis, recalled his own symptoms.
“The first sign was a dry cough,” he explained.
Reyes Gonzalez said he was initially diagnosed with pneumonia and later discovered the true cause during his multiple hospitalizations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It was a tragic event,” his wife, Wendy Torres, said.
Gustavo was just 30 years old and needed a lung transplant to survive.
Health experts say silicosis is caused by exposure to silica dust produced during cutting, sawing and crushing stone countertops, especially engineered stone, which can contain up to 99% silica.
According to the California Department of Public Health, as of June 10, there have been 154 confirmed cases of infection linked to artificial rocks, including at least 13 deaths, with 92 cases reported in Los Angeles County.
Dr. Jane Fazio, a pulmonologist at UCLA Olive View Medical Center in the San Fernando Valley, has conducted research on silicosis and notes an increase in cases that coincides with the popularity of synthetic countertops over the past decade.
“This has become a new health crisis,” she said.
The condition is especially prevalent among Latino men, who often work with synthetic stone in kitchen renovations.
Dr. Fazio warned that case numbers are expected to rise, urging local officials to act.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsay Holbert led the effort to allocate funds for education and enforcement of regulations to protect workers.
Currently, new temporary emergency standards have been issued by the California Department of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal OSHA) requiring employees in California countertop cutting businesses to use water and wear certain respirators, but permanent rules are pending.
After his lung transplant, Gustavo now relies on 15 medications every day, and he and his wife, Wendy, cherish the time they spend together.
Gustavo is currently fighting a legal battle against more than 40 synthetic stone manufacturers, alleging negligence and product liability – claims the companies dispute in court documents.
