BRITAIN is set for a rapid rise in killer lung disease cases in young people linked to trendy kitchen worktops, experts have warned. The first death and cases of silicosis among men who have worked with an artificial stone have been reported in the UK this year. Victims develop severe scarring and injuries in the lungs from inhaling dust while working with material containing lots of silica.
Andrew Cooper, a partner at Leigh Day, is representing the first UK patients diagnosed with silicosis after working with the stone. He told The Sun: "We sadly think it's very likely that we're going to see a significant increase in cases going forward, based on countries like Australia." High-silica artificial stone, also known as quartz or engineered stone, has been banned in Australia after being labelled 'modern-day asbestos' due to hundreds of suspected cases.
Read more on lung disease The fake stone is still growing in popularity in the UK for kitchen and bathroom renovations as it mimics marble or granite at a lower cost. Speaking to The Sun, Dr Johanna Feary, consultant in occupational lung disease at Royal Brompton Hospital, echoed Andrew's fears. “We saw our first confirmed case of silicosis due to artificial stone in the UK in 2023," she said.
"This year we have seen a steady increase in the number of cases which is of great concern. Most read in Health "Sadly at least one person had died to date. "You can have the disease without having any symptoms and we expect that there w.
