Built to Last
Low Silica Quartz Worktops
Low Silica Engineered Stone
Low Silica Quartz Worktops — Under 30% Crystalline Silica
Standard engineered stone is 90–93% quartz. Our low silica quartz worktops reformulate that mix so most of the crystalline silica is replaced by glass sand — cutting the dust hazard the HSE now regulates, without softening the slab or changing how it is fabricated and fitted.
Crystalline silica — the regulated dust hazard
Amorphous silica — not respirable crystalline silica
Polyester resin
Titanium dioxide & pigments
Definition
What are low silica quartz worktops?
Low silica quartz worktops are engineered stone surfaces formulated to contain far less respirable crystalline silica than conventional quartz. Standard slabs are 90–93% quartz mineral; a low silica slab replaces most of that with alternative hard fillers. Ours keeps crystalline quartz sand below 30% by weight, with glass sand at 50–55% doing the structural work in its place. The finished worktop looks, performs and installs like premium quartz — the difference is in what the fabricator breathes while cutting it.
The category exists because of a workplace health problem, not a kitchen one. Cutting, grinding and polishing high-quartz stone releases fine crystalline silica dust. Inhaled over years, it scars lung tissue and causes silicosis — an irreversible disease that has driven engineered stone bans in Australia and tightened regulation across the UK, Europe and the United States.
An installed worktop is inert and safe in the home either way; the hazard belongs to the workshop. That is why low silica quartz worktops matter most to fabricators, specifiers and contractors — and why homeowners who care about the supply chain behind their kitchen are increasingly asking for them by name.
Composition
What is actually in the slab
Most low silica claims in the market stop at a single percentage. Here is the full formulation by weight, so specifiers and fabricators can assess it against their own COSHH risk assessments rather than take a marketing figure on trust.
| Component | Weight | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Glass sand | 50–55% | Amorphous silica — provides hardness and body in place of quartz |
| Quartz sand | Under 30% | Crystalline silica — the only regulated fraction, kept to a minimum |
| Polyester resin | 12–15% | Binder — gives the non-porous, sealed-for-life surface |
| Titanium dioxide | ~1% | Opacity and colour stability |
| Inorganic pigments | ~1% | Colour — mineral based, no organic dyes |
Manufacturer’s declared composition by weight. No asbestos, heavy metals or organic solvents are used in the formulation.
The Science
Why swapping quartz for glass changes the risk, not the performance
Silica exists in two structural forms. In quartz it is crystalline — an ordered lattice that fractures into sharp, respirable particles when cut. Those particles lodge in lung tissue and drive the fibrosis known as silicosis. In glass it is amorphous — the same chemistry, no lattice, and not classified as the respirable crystalline silica that occupational exposure limits are written around.
That distinction is the whole product. Removing quartz and leaving the gap would mean more resin and a softer, more heat-sensitive surface — which is how some “reduced silica” products lose their durability. Replacing it with glass sand keeps a hard mineral filler doing the structural work, so density, scratch resistance and the non-porous finish stay where a premium worktop needs them, while the fraction that generates hazardous dust drops by roughly two thirds.
Less hazardous dust
Cutting, mitring and polishing release substantially less respirable crystalline silica than a 90%+ quartz slab, lowering cumulative exposure across a fabrication shop.
Same fabrication process
No new tooling, no new adhesives, no change to templating or installation. Fabricators work it exactly as they work standard engineered stone.
No substitution trade-off
Non-porous, stain resistant, colour consistent across slabs, and covered by the same 25-year warranty as the rest of the range.
Regulation
The HSE’s 2026 engineered stone rules, in plain terms
On 11 May 2026 the Health and Safety Executive published new guidance aimed squarely at the engineered stone industry. The headline measures are a ban on dry cutting, mandatory water suppression during fabrication, and a programme of more than 1,000 fabricator inspections over the following twelve months.
Underneath the headlines, nothing about COSHH has changed: respirable crystalline silica remains subject to a workplace exposure limit of 0.1 mg/m³ averaged over eight hours, and employers still have to control exposure so far as is reasonably practicable — assess, control at source, extract, monitor, and provide health surveillance where exposure is significant.
The HSE has also been explicit that the industry should move toward lower silica materials where it can. That is the part specifiers can act on immediately: material choice sits at the top of the control hierarchy, above extraction and well above personal protective equipment. Reducing the silica in the slab lowers the exposure everything else is measured against.
Read the wider category context in our engineered stone worktops guide, or see how these materials are specified day to day in quartz kitchen worktops.
For fabricators: what low silica changes and what it does not
Low silica material helps you reduce exposure at source. It is a control measure, not an exemption — and any supplier telling you otherwise is putting your inspection file at risk.
- Water suppression, on-tool extraction, LEV and RPE requirements still apply. Reduced silica does not remove your COSHH duties or your health surveillance obligations.
- Lower crystalline content means a lower starting point for exposure calculations, which makes staying within the 0.1 mg/m³ workplace exposure limit materially easier.
- Safety data sheets and composition documentation ship with every order, ready for your risk assessments and for an HSE inspector’s file.
- Low silica is not silica-free. If your client’s specification demands zero crystalline silica, talk to us rather than assuming this product qualifies.
Documentation is available in Technical Documentation and Professional Documentation, or ask us directly and we will send the current pack.
Comparison
Low silica vs zero silica vs standard quartz
Three terms get used interchangeably in the market and they are not the same thing. This is how they differ where it counts.
| Standard quartz | Low silica quartz | Zero silica surfaces | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crystalline silica | 90–93% | Under 30% | Effectively none |
| Fabrication dust risk | High — the reason for regulation | Substantially reduced | Lowest |
| Controls still required | Yes | Yes | Yes, for other dusts |
| Look and feel | Premium engineered stone | Identical — same manufacturing route | Varies by material class |
| Availability & price | Widest choice | Comparable to premium quartz | Limited range, often higher cost |
Where other materials sit
Porcelain and sintered stone contain little or no free crystalline silica and are the usual route when a specification rules it out entirely, though they behave differently on site — harder to cut, more prone to chipping at the edge, and a different aesthetic. Solid surface materials are silica-free and seamless but softer and more heat-sensitive. Natural granite and marble are quarried rather than engineered, and granite in particular can carry significant crystalline silica of its own. Low silica quartz sits in the middle: the appearance and behaviour of engineered stone, with the dust profile pulled down.
Cost
Do low silica quartz worktops cost more?
Priced against premium standard quartz, low silica material is broadly comparable. The manufacturing route is the same, the slab format is the same, and fabrication takes the same time — so the cost difference lands in the raw material mix rather than in labour. Expect a fitted kitchen to sit in the same band as any premium engineered stone specification.
Where it can save money is on the fabrication side. Lower exposure at source means less pressure on ventilation upgrades, monitoring frequency and health surveillance costs — and no exposure to the enforcement risk that comes with an inspection finding excessive dust levels. For a shop weighing an extraction retrofit, the material choice is part of that calculation.
Specification
Technical specification
| Slab size | 3200 × 1600 mm (jumbo) |
| Thickness | 20 mm / 30 mm |
| Crystalline silica | Under 30% by weight |
| Surface | Non-porous — never requires sealing |
| Finishes | Polished, honed / matte |
| Warranty | 25 years, transferable on registration |
Suitable applications
Kitchen worktops and islands, full-height splashbacks, bathroom vanities, wet room surfaces, fireplace surrounds, reception desks and retail counters. Jumbo slab dimensions suit long uninterrupted runs and mitred waterfall ends with vein continuation.
Where it fits in the range
See the Sempre range for colours and finishes, the quartz kitchen worktops guide for thickness and edge detail, or Calacatta quartz worktops for marble-effect designs.
Questions
Low silica quartz worktops: frequently asked questions
How much crystalline silica do they contain?
Under 30% by weight, against 90–93% in standard engineered stone. The balance is made up by glass sand at 50–55%, which is amorphous silica and not the respirable crystalline silica that exposure limits address.
Is low silica the same as silica-free?
No. Low silica substantially reduces crystalline silica content; it does not eliminate it. Zero-silica surfaces such as porcelain, sintered stone and solid surface are a different product class. If a specification demands zero crystalline silica, this material does not meet it.
Do fabricators still need water suppression and RPE?
Yes. HSE control measures apply to the process, not only the material. Water suppression, on-tool extraction and respiratory protection remain part of a compliant setup, and the 0.1 mg/m³ workplace exposure limit still applies. Low silica lowers exposure at source and makes those controls more effective, rather than replacing them.
Does reducing quartz make the worktop weaker?
No, because the quartz is replaced by glass sand rather than by additional resin. The slab keeps a high mineral filler content, so hardness, density and the non-porous surface behave as expected from a premium engineered stone.
Are they safe to have in the home?
Yes — and so is standard quartz once installed. The silica hazard exists during cutting and polishing, not in a finished worktop. Choosing low silica is about protecting the people who fabricate and fit the surface, and anyone doing on-site adjustments in your kitchen.
Do low silica quartz worktops cost more?
They are broadly comparable to premium standard quartz. Same slab format, same manufacturing route and the same fabrication time, so the difference sits in the raw material mix rather than in labour.
Do they need different tools or adhesives?
No. Templating, cutting, mitring, polishing and installation follow the same process a fabricator already uses for engineered stone. No retooling is required.
Are there harmful additives in the formulation?
The mix uses mineral fillers, polyester resin, titanium dioxide and inorganic pigments. No asbestos, no heavy-metal pigments, no organic dyes. Safety data sheets are supplied with every order.
What did the HSE change in May 2026?
Guidance published on 11 May 2026 banned dry cutting of engineered stone, made water suppression mandatory during fabrication, and set out more than 1,000 fabricator inspections for the following year. It also encouraged the industry to move toward lower silica materials where practicable.
Can I see the material before specifying it?
Yes. Sample kits ship free across the UK, and full slabs can be viewed at our Northampton showroom — Monarch Courtyard, Unit 12 Salthouse Road, Brackmills, NN4 7BD.
Specify it with the data in front of you
Composition sheet, safety data and warranty terms in one pack — plus free samples so you can judge the finish in your own light before committing.