The UK Health and Safety Executive states that recycling processes at materials-recovery facilities can generate organic dust and expose workers to airborne microorganisms and their toxic by-products. HSE also identifies potential exposure to fungi, bacteria, and endotoxins and says general airborne dust can exceed the level at which it is considered hazardous to health in the cited workplace context.
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Health risks from dust and bioaerosols · 2
Health risks from dust and bioaerosols · 2
The processes involved during recycling at MRFs can generate organic dust, which may lead to exposure to airborne micro-organisms and their toxic by-products. ... Employees working in MRFs can potentially be exposed to general airborne dust above the level where it is considered a substance hazardous to health (10 mg/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average). There is also potential for exposure to ... fungi, bacteria and endotoxins.