Registration Dossier

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Please be aware that this old REACH registration data factsheet is no longer maintained; it remains frozen as of 19th May 2023.

The new ECHA CHEM database has been released by ECHA, and it now contains all REACH registration data. There are more details on the transition of ECHA's published data to ECHA CHEM here.

Diss Factsheets

Administrative data

Description of key information

Negative results have been obtained in skin/eye irritation tests with amorphous silica. Sodium aluminium silicate is not irritating. 

Key value for chemical safety assessment

Skin irritation / corrosion

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Eye irritation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Respiratory irritation

Endpoint conclusion
Endpoint conclusion:
no adverse effect observed (not irritating)

Additional information

Ferrosilicon has not been tested for irritation/corrosion, and therefore read-across is applied. A detailed description of the justifications for read-across is available in Section 13 of the Iuclid dossier.

According to available data, synthetic amorphous silica is not irritating to skin and eyes under experimental conditions. Also, sodium aluminium silicate has been evaluated as being a nonirritant.

Higher amounts of strontium and barium are released from ferrosilicon particles than from synthetic amorphous silica. Very little data on irritation is available on these metals, but the available data suggest that they,

as sparingly soluble compounds,

are unlikely irritants. In addition, due to their low overall dissolution, they are unlikely to affect the irritancy of ferrosilicon.

No cases of skin or eye irritation have been reported in literature from the ferrosilicon/silicon manufacturing industry supporting the low irritancy of ferrosilicon.

Justification for classification or non-classification

Synthetic amorphous silica is not irritating to skin or eyes under experimental conditions. Also sodium aluminium silicate is not irritating. Furthermore, strontium and barium are unlikely to affect the irritancy of ferrosilicon.

No cases of skin or eye irritation have been reported in literature from the ferrosilicon/silicon manufacturing industry supporting the low irritancy of ferrosilicon.

Conclusion: Ferrosilicon is unlikely to cause skin or eye irritation. No classification or further testing is proposed. Naturally, like any other dusts, the dusts of ferrosilicon may cause mechanical irritation of the eye and respiratory tract.