Dust Almanac

Sweet chestnut

Castanea sativa · Fagaceae · hardwood

Also known as: European chestnut, Spanish chestnut, chestnut

Region: Southern Europe, western Asia; widely planted in Britain and Europe

Planed board of sweet chestnut with golden-brown heartwood and coarse, open, oak-like grain without ray flecks.

Sweet chestnut is a ring-porous hardwood that looks like oak without the large rays. It is durable outdoors and used for fencing, gates, cleft poles, cladding, furniture, kitchen utensils and barrels.

Health hazards

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Confirmed in clinical testing

    An Italian case series confirmed occupational asthma from chestnut dust with a specific provocation test.1

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    UK HSE lists dermatitis for sweet chestnut and suggests lichens on the bark may be the cause.2

    Effects
    dermatitis
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    bark

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancer of the nasal cavity and sinuses after long, heavy exposure. This applies to this wood like any other.3

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

Not finding a hazard listed here does not mean this wood is safe. All wood dust is hazardous; see how to protect yourself.

Exposure limits

Workplace exposure limits (8-hour average, mg/m³)
BodyLimitNotes
ACGIH TLV1 mg/m³ (inhalable)8-hour TWA; ACGIH value as restated by OSHA. source
EU binding limit (hardwood)2 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
UK WEL (hardwood)3 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
NIOSH REL1 mg/m³Recommended limit for all wood dust

Compare limits across agencies.

Cancer classifications

Horse chestnut (Aesculus) is unrelated. American chestnut (Castanea dentata) is a close relative mostly met as reclaimed lumber; no separate evidence was reviewed for it.

Sources

  1. De Zotti R, Gubian F. Asthma and rhinitis in wood workers. Allergy Asthma Proc. 1996;17(4):199-203. Link
  2. Health and Safety Executive. Toxic woods. Woodworking Information Sheet No 30 (Revision 1), WIS30(rev1). HSE; first published 11/2012. Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited. Link
  3. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Wood Dust and Formaldehyde. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 62. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1995. Link
  4. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .