sites, reports on occupational health problems related
to air contamination are still scarce and not always describe
the situation with the detail needed. Additionally,
it is important to consider that workers may be exposed
to the same potential hazards as the general population,
although the exposure and the risk may be different due
to the waste handling by workers and, consequently, the
proximity to emission sources and staying in a more contaminated
indoor environment [2].
Management of solid waste involves normally the release
of a wide range of chemical and biological pollutants with
potential adverse health effects. Research studies have
demonstrated that sorting and recycling industry is associated
with occupational health problems such as irritation,
allergy, inflammation, and toxicity, mainly affecting
eyes, throat, skin, and lungs and also being the cause of
gastrointestinal and musculoskeletal disorders [1,3–9].
Some of these symptoms were already related with exposure
to high levels of particles and bioaerosols [3,10–13].
Knowing the exposure to all of these different agents in
detail will allow the adoption of measures aiming to prevent
the exposure and to protect workers’ health.
This study intended to describe some of the features of the
occupational exposure to particulate matter in 2 wastesorting
plants (WSPs) located in the outskirts of Lisbon,
Portugal.