Aluminium hydroxide finds use as a fire retardant filler for polymer applications. It is selected for these applications because it is colorless (like most polymers), inexpensive, and has good fire retardant properties. Magnesium hydroxide and mixtures of huntite and hydromagnesite are used similarly. It decomposes at about , absorbing a considerable amount of heat in the process and giving off water vapour.
In addition to behaving as a fire retardant, it is very effective as a smoke suppressant in a wide range of polymers, most especially in polyesters, acrylics, ethylene vinyl acetate, epoxies, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and rubber.
Aluminium hydroxide is used as filler in some artificial stone compound material, often in acrylic resin.