For industries manufacturing and processing plastics, dust exposure from handling plastic pellets, granules and powders may be an obvious risk within the workplace. However, controlling dusts may not be sufficient for ensuring the protection of workers' health. When plastics are heated - perhaps during mixing, extruding or heat treating - several plastic by-products are released as fumes. These by-products can include aldehydes, styrene, hydrogen chloride and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), regular or prolonged exposure to which can cause lasting health effects. Many constituents of plastic fumes have been linked to respiratory illnesses, sensitisation and even the development of cancers.
| Hazardous Substance | Short-term Health Effects | Long-term Health Effects |
| Formaldehyde & Acrolein (and other aldehydes) | Headache, narcotic effects, nausea, pulmonary oedema | Respiratory diseases, sensitisation, cancer |
| Styrene | Narcotic effects, changes in vision and hearing, effects on central nervous system | Effects on central nervous system, hearing loss |
| Phenol | Eye, nose and respiratory irritation, pulmonary oedema, effects on central nervous system | Effects on liver function |
| 1,3-Butadiene | Neurological effects, respiratory irritation | Cancer |
| Butane (and other alkanes and alkenes) | Narcotic effects, effects on central nervous system | Kidney and liver damage |
| PAHs | Eye, nose and throat irritation, nausea, breakdown of red blood cells | Decreased immune function, asthma-like symptoms |
| Hydrogen Chloride | Respiratory irritation, pulmonary oedema | RADS - a chemically induced type of asthma |
Under COSHH regulations, employers have the duty to ensure exposure to these plastic fumes are suitably controlled and, in the case of substances which can cause cancer or asthma, control exposure should be as low as reasonably practicable.
Sysco Environmental can help your organisation ensures compliance with the regulations by providing plastic fumes monitoring & analysis services.
We provide a thorough assessment program for plastic fumes including but not limited to:
Sysco's experts have extensive experience in monitoring plastic fumes, and have an in-depth knowledge of the associated risks to the health of your workforce.
We recognise that every business & workplace environment is unique, so our plastic fumes monitoring solutions are tailored to your organisation's bespoke requirements. By customising our services to your needs, we provide accurate and relevant data that helps you optimise control strategies, mitigate exposure risks and comply with regulations.
Sysco Environmental is not just a plastic fumes monitoring service provider - we are your trusted partner in occupational health & safety and offer a full range of workplace exposure testing services.
Contact us today for a chat with one of our friendly experts to discuss your plastic fumes analysis and how we can help.
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