Krion: the importance of working with a material that guarantees safety

06/04/2023

At Krion we take safety very seriously. We have therefore created a solid surface with guarantees, which is not only harmless from the time it is produced until the end of its useful life, but even when it is recycled.

A material whose quality and safety have been repeatedly certified.

Let's see how Krion® Solid Surface is safe for the health of our factory workers, for the transformer, the end user, and for the environment. 

Safety for the transformer 

At Krion we are fully committed to the care of our workers and those who handle our material, which is why, during the transformation process of Krion® Solid Surface, we are careful to follow all safety protocols.

TECHNICAL DATA SHEET

Our workers are appropriately protected at all times when our surfaces are being transformed. Depending on the work they are going to perform, the workplace and the concentration of dust, Krion workers always have the right PPE.

However, no special equipment is needed to treat and handle Krion. Krion is a non-toxic material at all stages of its use, transformation and handling, so that only basic PPE is required. 

The fact that Krion has the SiO2 Free seal is proof of this. Issued by the National Institute for Silicosis (INS), this certification guarantees that the material is free of crystalline silica. 

As the dust produced by cutting and sanding Krion® is not toxic, the protective equipment needed to process it is the same as for contact with any other non-toxic dust. 

However, although we are certain that we work with material whose safety is guaranteed, at KRION we regularly analyse our transformation processes, to improve safety whenever possible. 

Preventive measures to work with Solid Surface

• For operations where the material may be exposed to particles or vapour, we use full or half masks with combined organic particle and vapour filters, or disposable masks for vapours and particles.
• For sanding and polishing we use FFPP2 self-filtering masks as the minimum level of protection, or half masks with filters for particles (minimum P2).
• Sanding, cleaning with alcohol, applying KRION® adhesive etc. are carried out in ventilated places whenever possible.
• Localised extraction systems are installed in areas that are the source of dust, vapour, smoke, mist and suspended particles.
• Extractors can eliminate dust and vapours partially or completely.

Safety for the end user 

As well as being safe for production workers/transformers, Krion is also a safe option for the end user. It has no associated toxic hazards as a finished material. This has enabled our solid surface to obtain many product certificates. 

1. The Health Product Declaration (HPD) verified by SCS Global Services. This certification shows that KrionⓇ does not contain any dangerous components. 
2. Declare is a label indicating transparency and the disclosure of content and health information in construction protocols that meet the requirements of the Living Building Challenge. Krion has this label as it is transparent with regard to the composition of its surfaces. 
3. KrionⓇ as been evaluated by an accredited external laboratory and has obtained the BPA free label. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an organic compound used in the manufacture of plastics and is suspected of being harmful to humans. The formulation of KrionⓇ does not contain BPA and it is not present in any of the raw materials used. 
4. KrionⓇ complies with the European REACH standard, which aims to guarantee the protection of human and environmental health, regulating chemical products that are manufactured or included in finished products. 
5. Greenguard is a certificate awarded by the Greenguard Environmental Institute, which guarantees that KrionⓇ complies with indoor air quality standards with regard to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These seals of quality guarantee that Krion products are valid for use in educational and healthcare environments, the most restrictive.
6. Since 1 January 2012, it has been compulsory for construction products used in France to be labelled according to a classification based on VOC emissions. KrionⓇ has achieved the highest rating (A+), thus guaranteeing low emissions to preserve the environmental quality of the interior of buildings.

All these certifications and seals are a clear indication that  KrionⓇ is safe for the end user. It does not contain BPA, it is non-toxic, does not contain any hazardous components and can be used in sensitive environments such as healthcare facilities. 

Environmental safety

We can't talk about KrionⓇ and safety without mentioning the environment. Environmental toxicology studies the deterioration that a substance can cause in living organisms. At Krion we have carried out tests and obtained certification from independent accredited laboratories to verify that our material and its by-products are completely inert and have no effect on the environment.

In terrestrial ecosystems, KrionⓇ and the dust produced when it is processed have been shown to have no negative effect on biotic or abiotic elements in the Earth's environment. And the same applies to aquatic ecosystems. 

The tests carried out have demonstrated that KrionⓇ has no harmful effects on organisms and that it does not accidentally release any elements into the natural environment. 

All the certifications, studies and tests carried out on Krion products demonstrate that this is a safe material for workers processing it in our factory, for the end user throughout its useful life and for the environment.