@article{Gandhi:2026:annalsats/aaoag176,
author = {Gandhi, SA and Liu, GY and Fazio, JC and Amubieya, O and Barnes, H and Cavalin, C and Cohen, RA and Fireman, E and Garcia, SR and Harrison, RJ and Houlroyd, JL and Hua, JT and Jones, CM and Mao, L and Ramkissoon, C and Schenker, M and Feary, J and Harvey, RR and Menéndez-Navarro, A and Nemery, B and Redlich, CA and Reynolds, CJ and Hoy, RF and Cummings, KJ and American, Thoracic Society Assembly on Environmental and Occupational, and Population Health},
doi = {annalsats/aaoag176},
journal = {Ann Am Thorac Soc},
title = {Silicosis in the Artificial Stone Countertop Industry: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/annalsats/aaoag176},
year = {2026}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Artificial stone-associated silicosis (AS silicosis) has emerged over the past decade as a severe, rapidly progressive, and preventable occupational lung disease affecting workers who manufacture, fabricate, and install artificial stone countertops. Characterized by short latency, accelerated progression, and high morbidity and mortality, AS silicosis disproportionately affects young workers employed in precarious conditions. In response to the growing global burden of disease, this American Thoracic Society workshop was convened in 2025 to review the current state of knowledge regarding AS silicosis, synthesize the current evidence, and identify priorities for research, clinical care, public health surveillance, and prevention. Workshop participants reviewed data spanning exposure science, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, health equity, and policy responses. Evidence demonstrates that artificial stone (AS) dust is highly toxic, containing high concentrations of respirable crystalline silica, resin-derived volatile compounds, and trace metals, resulting in exposures that routinely exceed occupational exposure limits. Despite widespread implementation of wet methods, ventilation, and respiratory protection, hazardous exposures persist across diverse settings globally, highlighting fundamental limitations of existing control strategies. Clinically, AS silicosis is associated with high rates of progressive massive fibrosis, autoimmune disease, infection, respiratory failure, and increasing need for lung transplantation. Treatment options remain limited, underscoring the importance of early detection and exposure cessation. The workshop identified critical gaps in medical screening and public health surveillance worldwide, with inconsistent regulatory frameworks, low compliance, underreporting, and delayed diagnoses. Case detection is often dependent on symptomatic presentation rather than proactive screening, exacerbating disease severity and inequities in care.
AU  - Gandhi,SA
AU  - Liu,GY
AU  - Fazio,JC
AU  - Amubieya,O
AU  - Barnes,H
AU  - Cavalin,C
AU  - Cohen,RA
AU  - Fireman,E
AU  - Garcia,SR
AU  - Harrison,RJ
AU  - Houlroyd,JL
AU  - Hua,JT
AU  - Jones,CM
AU  - Mao,L
AU  - Ramkissoon,C
AU  - Schenker,M
AU  - Feary,J
AU  - Harvey,RR
AU  - Menéndez-Navarro,A
AU  - Nemery,B
AU  - Redlich,CA
AU  - Reynolds,CJ
AU  - Hoy,RF
AU  - Cummings,KJ
AU  - American,Thoracic Society Assembly on Environmental
AU  - Occupational,and Population Health
DO  - annalsats/aaoag176
PY  - 2026///
TI  - Silicosis in the Artificial Stone Countertop Industry: An Official American Thoracic Society Workshop Report.
T2  - Ann Am Thorac Soc
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/annalsats/aaoag176
UR  - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/42363709
ER  - 

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