Is Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate) safe for babies and kids?
High risk for kidsNot medical or professional safety advice, and not a substitute for a qualified clinician — consult one. Full disclaimer →
(Babies-specific data is limited; this page draws from human pregnant context.) GHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.
What is chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate)?
The IUPAC name is trimagnesium;bis(hydroxy(trioxido)silane);hydrate.
Also known as: trimagnesium;bis(hydroxy(trioxido)silane);hydrate, Chrysotile A, Metaxite, Sylodex.
- IUPAC name
- trimagnesium;bis(hydroxy(trioxido)silane);hydrate
- CAS number
- 12001-29-5
- Molecular formula
- H4Mg3O9Si2
- Molecular weight
- 277.11 g/mol
- SMILES
- O.[Mg++].[Mg++].[Mg++].O[Si]([O-])([O-])[O-].O[Si]([O-])([O-])[O-]
- PubChem CID
- 25477
Risk for babies
High riskGHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.
Risk for pregnant and nursing people
High riskGHS Danger classification. Carcinogenicity concern during pregnancy.
Regulatory consensus
11 regulatory and scientific bodies have classified Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate). The classifications differ — that's the data.
| Agency | Year | Classification | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPA CTX / NTP RoC | — | Known Human Carcinogen | |
| EPA CTX / IARC | — | Group 1 - Carcinogenic to humans | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 2 positive / 2 negative reports) | |
| EPA CTX / Genetox | — | Genotoxicity: negative (Ames: negative, 2 positive / 2 negative reports) | |
| Rotterdam Convention | 2017 | Annex III listing — chrysotile (prior informed consent procedure) | After multi-COP debate, chrysotile was added to Annex III at COP-8 in 2017, requiring exporting parties to obtain importing parties' prior informed consent. |
| ECHA | 2005 | REACH Annex XVII Entry 6 — total ban of all asbestos forms | Directive 1999/77/EC implemented by EU member states with full ban from 1 Jan 2005; chrysotile included with the other five regulated forms. |
| Health Canada | 2018 | CEPA Prohibition Regulations — chrysotile asbestos and products containing it | Prohibition of Asbestos and Products Containing Asbestos Regulations (SOR/2018-196); ban on import, sale, manufacture effective Dec 2018. |
| US EPA | 2024 | TSCA Section 6(a) final risk-management rule — ban of chrysotile asbestos | Final rule banning ongoing uses of chrysotile asbestos (Mar 2024); part 1 of 2-part risk evaluation; phased compliance dates by use category. |
| AICIS | 2003 | Australia national ban — all asbestos types | National ban on manufacture, import, supply, and use effective 31 Dec 2003 (predates AICIS as administering body; carried forward in current inventory). |
| ILO | 1986 | Convention 162 (Asbestos Convention) — controls on use | ILO Asbestos Convention; ratified by 35+ countries committing to safer-substitute substitution and exposure-limit enforcement. |
| NTP | 2016 | Known to be a Human Carcinogen — Asbestos (all forms) | NTP Report on Carcinogens 14th Edition; chrysotile and amphibole asbestos forms classified Known. |
Regulators apply different standards of evidence — animal-data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds — which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. The disagreement is the data.
Where kids encounter chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate)
- Industrial Facilities — Manufacturing plants, Waste treatment sites
- Occupational Environments — Factories, Warehouses
Safer alternatives
Lower-risk approaches that achieve a similar outcome to Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate):
-
Safer process chemistry; Green chemistry alternatives; Exposure controls
Trade-offs: Requires R&D investment to redesign synthesis routes; may reduce yield or throughput initially; long-term benefits include reduced waste treatment costs, regulatory compliance, and worker safety; 12 Principles of Green Chemistry framework available.Relative cost: 2-5×
Frequently asked questions
What products contain chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate)?
Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate) appears in: Manufacturing plants (Industrial facilities); Waste treatment sites (Industrial facilities); Factories (Occupational environments); Warehouses (Occupational environments).
Why do regulators disagree about chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate)?
Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate) has been classified by 11 agencies including EPA CTX / NTP RoC, EPA CTX / IARC, EPA CTX / Genetox, EPA CTX / Genetox, Rotterdam Convention, with differing conclusions. Regulators apply different standards of evidence (animal data weighting, exposure-pattern assumptions, epidemiological power thresholds), which is why two scientific bodies can review the same data and reach different conclusions. See the regulatory consensus table on this page for the full picture.
See Chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate) in the baby app
Look up products containing chrysotile fiber (hydrated magnesium silicate), compare to alternatives, and explore the full data record.
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Reference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific data; not a substitute for medical, pediatric, legal, or regulatory advice. Why we built ALETHEIA →