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Crystalline silica: risks and policy

T S Hardy¹, H Weill

¹Kirkland & Ellis, Washington, DC 20005, USA.

Environmental Health Perspectives

|February 1, 1995

Summary

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Crystalline silica is a probable carcinogen, but assessing low-exposure risks is difficult and offers little value. Focusing regulatory resources on high-level occupational exposures would yield greater public health benefits.

Area of Science:

Environmental Health
Occupational Safety
Toxicology

Background:

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classified crystalline silica as a probable human carcinogen in 1988.
Government regulations mandate warning labels on products containing silica.
Research efforts have focused on quantifying risks associated with low-level crystalline silica exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the utility of quantitative risk assessment for low-level crystalline silica exposure.
To determine the most effective allocation of regulatory resources for public health protection regarding crystalline silica.

Main Methods:

Review of existing research on crystalline silica exposure risks.
Analysis of the feasibility and value of quantitative risk assessment at low exposure levels.

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Evaluation of regulatory strategies for managing crystalline silica hazards.

Main Results:

Quantitative assessment of low-exposure risks for crystalline silica is fraught with uncertainty.
Low-level exposure to crystalline silica is widespread and difficult to control.
High-level occupational exposures represent a more significant and manageable public health concern.

Conclusions:

Continued attempts to quantitatively assess low-exposure risks of crystalline silica are of limited public health value.
Regulatory resources are better allocated to addressing and mitigating high-level occupational exposures to crystalline silica.
Focusing on occupational settings will likely yield more substantial public health improvements.