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July 14, 2025Blog
Silicosis and Quartz: A Turning Point or Just a Stopgap?
In September 2025, Business of Home released an article examining the artificial stone industry’s confrontation with accelerated silicosis—a deadly lung disease caused by breathing in nano-sized crystalline silica particles and other harmful substances. The piece, “Is low-silica stone the path forward for the quartz industry?”, highlighted the aftermath of a landmark $52 million verdict awarded to Gustavo Reyes Gonzalez, a 34-year-old fabricator who underwent a double lung transplant after years of exposure to artificial stone.
At Brayton Purcell LLP, our mission has long been to advocate for individuals harmed by preventable workplace hazards. The story is sadly familiar: from asbestos to silica, profit is too often prioritized over worker safety until legal accountability forces change.
Emerging Materials — Real Progress or Marketing Spin?
In response to both the Reyes Gonzalez verdict and Australia’s nationwide prohibition on artificial stone, leading companies like Caesarstone and Cosentino have introduced products advertised as “low-silica” or “zero-silica.” Caesarstone’s Icon collection claims to contain less than 1% crystalline silica, while Cosentino promotes its Q0 surfaces as made with recycled components and negligible silica levels.
But do these alternatives truly eliminate danger? Attorney James Nevin of Brayton Purcell LLP, who represents Reyes Gonzalez and more than 600 other fabrication workers, explains based on peer-reviewed findings:
“If we look at high-content artificial stone and why it’s dangerous, it’s three different things: it’s the high content, the nano size and the other toxins. Low-content artificial stone—yes, it has removed the high content, but it’s still nano-size, and it still has the other toxins.”
In short, lowering silica does not necessarily remove all the hazards.
Why Transparency Matters
The Business of Home article also emphasized the lack of full disclosure regarding the composition of these materials. Without clarity on silica percentages, adhesives, resins, and other airborne contaminants, meaningful health and safety assessments are impossible. As Leila Behjat from the Healthy Materials Lab asked:
“Is that really an improvement, or just a Band-Aid?”
At Brayton Purcell LLP, we share this skepticism. Genuine reform requires not just innovation in product design, but also strict testing protocols, enforceable safety regulations, and responsibility for prior harm.
A Widening Public Health Crisis
California’s Department of Public Health has now documented 391 silicosis cases and 22 deaths linked directly to artificial stone within the state. The median age of diagnosis is only 46. These numbers underscore that the problem is widespread and urgent, not isolated.
If you or someone you care about has worked in stone fabrication, legal options may be available. With decades of experience handling toxic exposure cases, our firm remains dedicated to holding manufacturers and suppliers accountable for the harm caused.
