Countries which comprise the West is predominantly the only countries that practice water fluoridation. All of the fluoride chemicals used in the West - the U.S., UK and Australia, for water fluoridation, sodium fluoride, sodium fluorosilicate, and fluorosilicic acid, are useful byproducts of the phosphate fertilizer industry.

The manufacturing process produces three byproducts:

(1) calcium sulphate, a solid (sheetrock, CaSo4);
(2) hydrofluoric acid (HF)
(3) silicon tetra fluoride (SiF4).

A simplified explanation of the manufacturing process follows: Apatite rock is ground up and treated with sulphuric acid resulting in phosphoric acid and the three byproducts mentioned above. These gases are captured by product recovery units called scrubbers and condensed into 23% fluorosilicic acid. Sodium fluoride and sodium fluorosilicate are made from fluorosilicic acid.

The American Water Works Association (AWWA), is a industry association that sets standards for all chemicals used in water treatment plants and water fluoridation plants. AWWA standards are world wide and are listed on many Australian chemical registers. The AWWA standards for fluoridation chemicals are:

1. ANSI/AWWA B701-99 (sodium fluoride)

2. ANSI/AWWA B702-99 (sodium fluorosilicate)

3. ANSI/AWWA B703-00 (fluorosilicic acid).