EPU10: Micro and Nanoplastics in the Workplace: Exposure Insights From Contemporary Literature

Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Convention Center 

Micro and nanoplastics have been highlighted in recent years in both academic journals and news media articles as an emerging exposure and health concern for the general population. However, questions around potential exposures and adverse effects may be even more important for workers in specific occupations working in close proximity to point or area sources of MNPs for extended hours during a work shift over a working lifetime, thus potentially incurring both peak short-term and chronic MNP exposures.

This session will showcase examples from recently published literature of occupational settings from various industrial sectors where worker exposures to MNPs have been assessed. In particular, it will focus on processes that generate MNPs, factors affecting the MNPs generation and emission rate, their size distribution and chemical composition, methodologies to monitor or sample MNPs in the workplace, relevant routes of exposure, observed exposure concentrations based on personal and area measurements, and the effectiveness of the implemented exposure control strategies.

Lessons learned from past industrial hygiene research and recommended practices developed for workplace particulates such as nuisance dust and engineered nanomaterials and demonstrate how those lessons can be proactively applied by industrial hygiene practitioners and professionals in the context of MNP risk communication and management in a workplace will be discussed.

Upon completion, the participant will be able to:
• Anticipate high-priority work processes that are likely sources of fugitive micro and nanoplastic particles in the workplace.
• Identify suitable MNP monitoring or sampling methods.
• Combine knowledge of real-world MNP measurement data and traditional particulate control IH practices to inform workplace-specific recommendations for mitigation of MNP exposures. 

Exposure Assessment

Risk Management

Work Environments, Occupations, and Industrial Processes

Aerosol and airborne particulate monitoring

Exposure Assessment

Hazard Communication

Personal protective equipment

Risk assessment and management

In-person

OnDemand

Practitioner