Question from L. G.
I am looking for materials that works well as a non-stick baking and stir-frying surface and that will not harm my family. What do you think about silicone bakeware for environmental and health issues? I know Teflon is dangerous but what about silicone?
Debra’s Answer
Silcone bakeware and other kitchen utensils are safe to use. Silicones are made chemically by creating a “backbone” of silicon from common sand and oxygen molecules, a combination that does not occur in nature. Then various other synthetic molecules are added branching off of the main silicon-oxygen line to create hundreds of different silicones that range from liquids to rubbery solids. Though this is a completely manmade product, it is completely inert and will not transfer to foods.
I tried to find some information on the health effects of silicone rubber, but it was not listed in any of the toxic chemical databases I use.
I went to the Dow Corning website who makes over 700 different silicone rubbers and looked at a random sample of their MSDSs. The ones I read listed no hazardous materials or health effects, or needed first aid measures. All descriptions I read of silicone rubber describe it as chemically inert and stable, so it is unlikely to react with or leach into food, nor outgas vapors. MSDSs also note that silicone is not toxic to aquatic or soil organisms, it is not hazardous waste, and while it is not biodegradable, it can be recycled after a lifetime of use.
Some years back there was a question about the safety of silicone used in breast implants. Whether or not the health problems experienced by some women with breast implants were associated with the implants has been very controversial. I found an article from the year 2000 on a leading website on breast cancer and related women’s issues that states “A large study conducted by researchers from the National Cancer Institute NCI finds no correlation between silicone-filled breast implants and breast cancer risk.”
The prolonged inhalation of crystalline silica dust is associated with silicosis, but there is no silica dust exposure from the use of silicone kitchenware.
Have you any information on what “synthetic molecules” are added to silicon to give different plasticity and what dyes are used for colouring?
You know I’ve been trying to figure that out for quite a while, but your quesiton promopted me to look at this again from a different angle and I found it. The search keyword turned out to be “silicone colorants.”
There are many businesses listed that provide these colorants. Here’s a page with many links to “dispersions” specifically for silicone. You can look around here and find out more about them.
I know that’s not a simple answer, but I’m not sure exactly what you want to know. You can call the company too and ask your questions.
I did call another company who explained that a customer (manufacturer) buys a “recipe” for a color and then purchases the “ingredient” colors that are mixed to make the color they want. These pigments then go into a carrier resin. Some pigments are “mined from the earth” and others are synthetic.
So to find out exactly what chemicals might be used for any given color is—like fragrance—practically impossible.
Here is one MSDS for a “silicone dispersion in xylene” which I am assuming is a colorant for silicone in a carrier of xylene. Xylene is a very toxic solvent. I do not know if any of this solvent remains in the final product But this is only one colorant. I found this by searching “silicone colorant msds.” If you search on this you will find more.
There are many many unknowns about this. But if you are concerned about colorants in siliones, these same companies are providing the colorants for all plastics.
We need better disclosure on ingredients!!!!!
Debra,
I am thoroughly enjoying your various articles on products and their toxicity especially (or lack thereof). I work in food service at a major theme park and know what MSDSs are but wondered if it MIGHT be a good idea to state what the acronym means (just spell out the word each letter stands for). Those darned sheets are sometimes SO technical but if the reader of any such “book” (like we have) has half a brain, they can figure out the gist of what the sheets are telling them.
Thanks so much for all the info you are sharing. It has certainly answered some questions I had.
You are totally correct. It’s Material Safety Data Sheet.
Although they have recently been renamed to Safety Data Sheet (SCS).