Recently a survey was conducted by Workplace Safety in America to evaluate employee exposure to fumes from polystyrene melting of the GREENMAX recycling machine. Exposure monitoring was conducted for total particulates and select volatile organic compounds.

The executive summary outlines the survey results and is followed by recommendations for the review and consideration. The associated Industrial Hygiene Sampling Report contains more detailed information about the process, occupation health hazards and standards, sampling and analysis, and results interpretation.

Three employees were sampled for select volatile organic compounds. One employee was near the melting section of the machine, one was feeding polystyrene (Styrofoam) onto the belt that chops it up and feeds it into the melting section and the third was working at the nearest mattress recycling station.

Sampling data obtained during this survey was representative of the time period sampled and the level of work performed during that time period. Based on this assessment, the estimated TWA exposures were considered essentially equivalent to the 8-hour TWA exposure levels.

Employee exposure levels during periods of higher levels of work and different types of tasks may vary from these results. Whenever there is a question about exposure levels or for temporary, potentially high exposures, appropriate engineering, administrative and personal protective equipment and / or other ,measures, should be utilized as necessary to reduce and control employee occupational exposure levels.

The results of the survey were as follows: both GREENMAX Styrofoam recycling machine operators had total particulate exposures below the Oregon Occupation Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 10 milligrams per cubic meter (mg/m3).