Wholesale to the Public ! We are the cheapest seller of Crushed Ground Walnut Shells
58 Frankston Gardens Drive, Carrum Downs Victoria 3201, Australia
Crushed Walnut Shell blasting is safe. sand silica is not!
Is walnut shell blasting safe?
Crushed Walnut shell sandblasting media is safe, re-usable, biodegradable, and does no harm to the Environment.
It offers a number of benefits: it is non-toxic, environmentally friendly, and hence does not pose any health or environmental hazards. It preserves gel-coats, base, and primer, while removing the top coats of paint.
The media is durable, does not etch metal or wood and reduces the cycle time of finishing operations.
It preserves microfinishes and replaces sand to prevent the issue of silicosis. Selective coatings removal is also possible with Walnut Sandblasting.
is sandblasting with sand safe? Is Sand blasting illegal?
CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention quote:-
The risk of silicosis is high in workers exposed to abrasive blasting with sand silica, and the hazard is difficult to control. NIOSH has therefore recommended since 1974 that silica sand (or other substances containing more than 1% crystalline silica) be prohibited as abrasive blasting material.
Work Safe VIC banned SAND-blasting in 2002.
In the past, sand was commonly used for abrasive blasting. Sand is made up of crystalline silica and, during the blasting process, some of it is broken down into very small particles known as respirable crystalline silica.
Inhalation of respirable crystalline silica dust over time can cause lung diseases such as silicosis and lung cancer.
Banned in Victoria
The use of materials containing more than 1% crystalline silica for abrasive blasting has been prohibited since 2002.
You must not use materials such as silica sand, river sand, beach sand and other white sand for abrasive blasting. Doing so is an offence under Victorian health and safety legislation and may result in prosecution where large penalties can apply.
Why is sandblasting with sand illegal?
In modern sandblasting practices, sand is rarely used and often illegal due to its danger to the operator and the surrounding environment. The operation produces a large amount of dust, which the machine operator and others nearby can inhale. Moreover, sand contains silica dust, causing chronic lung ailment silicosis. Due to these, using sand has been strictly regulated in many countries.
Sand, as an abrasive, is also harmful to the environment. The dust produced can become airborne, creating air pollution and negatively impacting the health of everyone in proximity. Instead, other materials that are safer for everyone concerned are utilized.