Silica feared as 'next asbestos'

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Silica feared as 'next asbestos'

By Yvette Essen (Filed: 20/09/2004)

Silica sand, which is often turned into a gel and put

into handbags and electronic goods to soak up

moisture, has become the latest substance to join a

list of toxic products worrying underwriters.

Aon, the second-largest insurance broker, said

individuals extracting silica or working on

manufacturing sites may be overexposed to the product,

which could lead to silicosis - " a disabling,

non-reversible and sometimes fatal lung disease " .

Other problems can include lung cancer, pulmonary

tuberculosis, airway diseases, autoimmune disorders

and chronic renal disease.

The broker has added silica to its toxic substances

database, which lists materials troubling the

insurance and reinsurance industry. Asbestos and

tobacco are also on the list, as is toxic mould - a

fungus that grows on walls and carpets, and can lead

to respiratory problems. Aon said the potential for

class action is " possible " .

While there has been no medical evidence of a link

between silica gel and silicosis, reinsurers are

investigating whether exposure to silica sand could

lead to numerous insurance claims.

Mark Hewett, deputy chairman of Guy Carpenter, the

world's largest reinsurance broker, said his company

is conducting research into silica. He said: " It is a

common product in a natural environment but it starts

to get hazardous if it is cut and the dust particles

get in the air. The big question is, is it the next

asbestos? We think it is probably not but it raises a

number of similar issues. "

Silica is used in the stone masonry business, for

glass production and pool filter sand. Aon says ground

silica is " ideal for plastics and rubber, polishes and

cleansers, glassfibre and precision castings. "

Fine-ground silica is a high-quality filler used in

paints and coatings.

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