California’s Prop 65 and Public Health Concerns over Crystalline Silica

Garden Grove, CA, October 1, 2012
 
In 1986, California voters approved an initiative to address increasing concerns over exposure to toxic chemicals. That initiative, the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, is better known by its original name of Proposition 65. 
 
Proposition 65 requires businesses to notify Californians about significant amounts of chemicals in the products they purchase, in their homes or workplaces, or that are released into the environment.  This list includes airborne particles of respirable size of crystalline silica, which was added to the Prop 65 list in 1988. 
 
Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals.  Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica.  Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica.  All three forms may become respirable size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.
 
LA Testing offers testing services to identify crystalline silica to help prevent exposure to people from this potentially harmful material found in industry and in many construction projects. 
 
“Crystalline silica causes the debilitating disease known as silicosis and is a known human lung carcinogen,” reported Joe Frasca, Senior Vice President, Marketing at LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.  “There is no cure for silicosis.  Occupational exposure to crystalline silica is considered to be a potential threat to close to 2 million workers in the U.S., including 100,000 who work high risk jobs that include abrasive blasting and many types of stone and quarry work.  Occupational exposure testing can determine if this material poses a threat to workers,” he continued.  
 
LA Testing has sponsored an educational video about silicosis and crystalline silica that can be seen at:
http://youtube/gLfsdhB2bz8 
 
To learn more about testing for crystalline silica or other Proposition 65 testing services, please visit www.LATesting.com, email info@LATesting.com or call (800) 755-1794. 
 
About LA Testing and EMSL Analytical, Inc.
LA Testing and EMSL Analytical are providers of environmental testing services and products to professionals and the general public. The companies have an extensive list of accreditations from leading organizations as well as state and federal regulating bodies.

Contact Information

Joseph Frasca

Senior Vice President of Marketing

EMSL Analytical

(1) 1-866-798-1089

jfrasca@emsl.com