A Pilot Assessment of Occupational Health Hazards in the US Electronic Scrap Recycling Industry

Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
Diana M CeballosElena Page

Abstract

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) surveyed a randomly selected sample of electronic scrap (e-scrap) recycling facilities nationwide to characterize work processes, exposures, and controls. Despite multiple attempts to contact 278 facilities, only 47 responded (17% response rate). Surveyed facilities reported recycling a wide variety of electronics. The most common recycling processes were manual dismantling and sorting. Other processes included shredding, crushing, and automated separation. Many facilities reported that they had health and safety programs in place. However, some facilities reported the use of compressed air for cleaning, a practice that can lead to increased employee dust exposures, and some facilities allowed food and drinks in the production areas, a practice that can lead to ingestion of contaminants. Although our results may not be generalizable to all US e-scrap recycling facilities, they are informative regarding health and safety programs in the industry. We concluded that e-scrap recycling has the potential for a wide variety of occupational exposures particularly because of the frequent use of manual processes. On-site evaluations of e-scrap recyclers are needed to deter...Continue Reading

References

May 16, 2001·Environmental Science & Technology·A SjödinC Ostman
Jan 16, 2004·Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine·Mariola Sliwinska-KowalskaAnna Gajda-Szadkowska
Apr 14, 2007·Environmental Health Perspectives·Brian S Schwartz, Howard Hu
Apr 14, 2007·Environmental Health Perspectives·Michael J KosnettAlan Woolf
Oct 13, 2009·The Science of the Total Environment·Yaw-Huei HwangJung-Der Wang
Feb 13, 2010·Environmental Monitoring and Assessment·Sushant B WathT Chakrabarti
Sep 28, 2010·Waste Management·Oyuna Tsydenova, Magnus Bengtsson
Mar 28, 2012·Journal of Pain & Palliative Care Pharmacotherapy·UNKNOWN Institute of Medicine

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 1, 2016·The Annals of Occupational Hygiene·Erwan ChenevalJoseph Zayed
Dec 10, 2016·Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene·Diana CeballosElena Page
Mar 11, 2019·Annals of Work Exposures and Health·Sabrina GravelFrance Labrèche
Aug 28, 2020·American Journal of Industrial Medicine·Diana M CeballosFrance Labrèche
Sep 23, 2018·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health·Ying CaiZixian Wu
Nov 18, 2019·Current Environmental Health Reports·J O Okeme, V H Arrandale
Jan 17, 2019·Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology·Katrina N BurnsRichard L Neitzel
Jun 30, 2021·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Xianghong ChenJingting Wei

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Excel
Scrap

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.