The significance of electrostatic accretion forces between dust grains

A brief review of electrostatic image forces between dust grains is given. Some comments are then made as to where these forces are significant and where they are not significant. Their significant roles are: (i) in aiding accretion where there is amixed population of charged and uncharged grains; (ii) in providing a fractionation mechanism for metals and silicates where all the grains are charged with thesame sign; (iii) in assuring that two grains which come into contact stick to each other. Some shortcomings in recent articles are pointed out.