Respirable crystalline silica (quartz) content of materials

Analysis for determining the content of respirable quartz and other respirable crystalline silicas in products and materials. The results can be used for labeling purposes and to facilitate the development of safer products.

Crystalline silica, namely quartz, is a common ingredient in building products and other materials containing or composed of stone, gravel, clay, or sand. Exposure to respirable silica for extended periods or high exposure for short periods causes silicosis and may lead to the development of lung cancer, which is why a binding limit value has been set for workplace exposure to respirable crystalline silica in EU countries. Ensuring that materials have a low quartz content is the most effective and cost-efficient way to prevent respirable quartz exposure.

In EU countries, materials containing crystalline silica and other category 1 carcinogens are subject to a classification obligation, unless carcinogens are present in quantities below 0.1 % (w/w). Consequently, such products should include the warning “May cause lung cancer by inhalation” and “Causes damage to lungs”. The obligation applies to mineral products containing quartz, provided they are chemically modified. Additionally, industrial mineral producers (IMA) in the EU have decided that even non-modified mineral products should be classified based on their crystalline silica content (fine fraction), provided the content exceeds 1.0 wt.%.

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