Evaluation of Bioaerosols in a Municipal Solid Waste Recycling and Composting Plant

Marchand, Geneviève; Lavoie, Jacques; Lazure, Louis

doi:10.1080/10473289.1995.10467406

Cited by 50 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…[3][4][5][6][7]22 The concentrations measured in this study during the summer were of the same order of magnitude. The storage and handling of the recycled material therefore appears to be a major source of total bacteria during the summer.…”

Section: Results and Discussion Microorganismsmentioning

confidence: 49%

“…Nonetheless, average concentrations of this magnitude have already been measured in other recycling plant studies. 3,7,23 Molds. Average concentrations of molds statistically significantly greater than those measured in the upwind outdoor air were noted in all departments in plants 1 and 3, but only in sorting in plant 2 during the summer.…”

Section: Results and Discussion Microorganismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…According to the scientific literature consulted, waste sorting includes risks of a microbiological, chemical, physical, and ergonomic nature as well as risks to worker safety. 2,3 Several studies have indicated that in recycling plants in general, workers are exposed to an elevated risk of musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, mucocutaneous (irritation), and respiratory (chronic bronchitis, allergic alveolitis, asthma) problems and to organic dust toxic syndrome (ODTS). 2,4,5 One of these reports mentions that the majority of the symptoms are more prevalent in workers sorting and handling domestic waste than in those sorting paper or garden waste.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Health and Safety Risks in Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Plants

Lavoie

Guertin²

2001

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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Designers and managers of recycling processing plants need to be informed about the inherent occupational health and safety risks; however, there are few studies in the literature describing these risks. Therefore, the objectives of this project were to document the biological, chemical, physical, and ergonomic risks in three household-waste recycling plants. Bioaerosols (molds and bacteria) were measured using the methodology recommended by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Chemical contaminants and physical agents suspected of being present in this type of environment were measured using the standard methods of the Quebec Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute (IRSST). The ergonomic part of the study identified the work requirements and risk factors causing the workers' physical symptoms.In summer, the average concentrations of total bacteria were greater than the Scandinavian guideline of 10,000 colony forming units per cubic meter of air (CFU/m 3 ) in the receiving areas in plants 1 and 3, in the sorting areas of the three plants, and in shipping in plants 1 and 3. When the average concentrations of Gram-negative IMPLICATIONSThe ranks of those involved in recycling are growing. This means new ways of working and risks that are not always taken into consideration. Studies show that those who work with recycling report job-related injuries and illnesses more often than others do. As an example, the contribution rate paid to the Quebec Workers' Compensation Board is 4 times greater than the average for the service sector. In this study, chemical and biological contaminants, physical and safety risks, and ergonomic stressors were measured in three representative recycling plants. It is important that the designers and managers of these plants be informed about the presence of these risks in order to control them.bacteria were compared to the Scandinavian guideline of 1000 CFU/m 3 of air, only the sorting department in plant 2 in summer exceeded this value. Average indoor concentrations of molds that were statistically significantly greater than those measured in the upwind outdoor air were measured in all departments in plants 1 and 3, regardless of the season, and only in sorting in plant 2 during the summer. The only chemical contaminant measured at average concentrations greater than 50% of the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) proposed by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) was CO in the sorting departments in plants 1 and 2 during the winter. Noise exceeded the ACGIH TLV in plant 2. The workers' physical symptoms seem to be caused by the posture and effort required while remaining in a stationary position. Action must be focused on improving aspects such as work organization and personal protection and on informing citizens of the need for cleanliness of the material to be recycled.

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Section: Results and Discussion Microorganismsmentioning

confidence: 49%

Section: Results and Discussion Microorganismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Health and Safety Risks in Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Plants

Lavoie

Guertin²

2001

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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“…However, in bioaerosol studies, the detection and quantitation of metabolically active microorganisms has been primarily based on plate count assays in which sample collection methods as well as microorganism nutritional requirements and culturability bias the results (Burge 1990;Buttner et al 1993;Flannigan 1993;Heinsohn 1994;Marchand et al 1995;Miller 1992;Stewart et al 1995;Terzieva et al 1996;Thorne et al 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Combined Fluorochrome Method for Quantitation of Metabolically Active and Inactive Airborne Bacteria

Hernandez

1999

Aerosol Science and Technology

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ABSTRACT. To better understand the ecology of microorganisms in the environment and to quantify the concentrations of airborne microorganisms, methods are needed to count all microbial cells that are present and differentiate between those that are metabolically competent and those that are nonviable as they exist in situ. We developed and tested a direct epi uorescent method to estimate the quantity and activity of airborne bacteria aerosolized into full-scale rooms. Midget impingers, lled with the uorescing redox dye 5-cyano-2, 3-ditolyl tetrazolium chloride (CTC), were used to capture and stain metabolically active bacteria from room air. Both active and inactive bacteria were counterstained with a uorescein derivative and counted with an epi uorescent microscope. The choice of uorochrome stains allowed concurrent identi cation of active and inactive bacteria in the same microscopic eld. Airborne bacterial numbers determined by epi uorescence microscopy were compared to standard, nonselective colony counts cultured from midget impingers operated under identical conditions. Direct epi uorescent estimates of total airborne bacteria were higher than concurrent plate counts. However, estimates of active airborne bacteria were lower than concurrent plate counts. Variability experiments showed that the direct-count method was repeatable to within 35%.

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“…In particular, the activity of turning the compost increases the particulate and bioaerosol content of the air. 4,6 Turned-windrows was the composting method used at the Norman, OK, facility. The windrows were turned on an irregular basis, approximately once a week, depending on local rainfall.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioaerosol Concentration at an Outdoor Composting Center

Folmsbee

Strevett

1999

Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association

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Compost centers are one of many environments that produce airborne microorganisms. The objective of this study was to compare the bacterial, fungal, and actinomycete concentrations at the Norman, OK, compost center to background concentration of these same microorganisms. For this comparison, a modified Andersen Microbial Sampler was used. Sampling was performed at three sites at the outdoor compost center and at two background sites. The concentration of each microorganism was measured as total colony forming units per cubic meter (CFU/m 3 ). The predominantly downwind compost center site had a 10-fold increase in all the microorganisms in comparison with the other sites (p < 0.05). The median concentrations (95% confidence interval) of total viable bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes at this site were 5059 (CI 95

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Evaluation of Bioaerosols in a Municipal Solid Waste Recycling and Composting Plant

Cited by 50 publications

References 11 publications

Evaluation of Health and Safety Risks in Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Plants

Evaluation of Health and Safety Risks in Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Plants

A Combined Fluorochrome Method for Quantitation of Metabolically Active and Inactive Airborne Bacteria

Bioaerosol Concentration at an Outdoor Composting Center

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