Bioaerosol in composting facilities: occupational health risk assessment.
This research found evidence of an association between occupational exposure to bioaerosols in composting plants and health outcome occurrence in exposed workers. An occupational exposure assessment in six composting plants was performed to better characterize personal exposure levels and evaluate associated health risk in workers. Sampling results showed large ranges of concentrations of dust, bacteria, molds, and endotoxin in ambient air and in personal samples, both when driving a front-end loader and when cleaning, monitoring, and performing maintenance tasks. Mean personal exposure levels were high at 100 to more than 10,000 times higher than outdoor background levels and fully consistent with occurrence of inflammatory and allergic respiratory outcomes among workers. Engineering control, personal protection, and education and training programs for employees, health, and safety officials, and occupational physicians are being developed and implemented.
SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT, CIRSEE, 38 rue du President Wilson, 78230 Le Pecq, France. olivier.schlosser@suez-env.com
Olivier
O
Schlosser
Alain
A
Huyard
Keith
K
Cartnick
Adela
A
Yañez
Vicente
V
Catalán
Zdravka Do
ZD
Quang
D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational / Q000592:standards*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000592:standards*; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012037:Refuse Disposal; D012307:Risk Factors; D012987:Soil
D000336:Aerosols; D000395:Air Pollutants, Occupational; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D012987:Soil