Occupational Exposure to Gaseous Emissions in Molded Plastic Manufacturing: Health Impacts and Workforce Implications

Background and Objective: The manufacturing of molded plastics involves the release of volatile organic compounds, styrene and formaldehyde that pose health threats to workers.The purpose of this study was to examine the levels of exposure and the effects on lung function and workforce turnover in a molded plastic facility in New Hampshire.Materials and Methods: A complete (Mixed-Methods) study utilized both air monitoring (with measurements of Volatile Organic Compounds and Styrene/Carbon Disulfide/Fall-on-the-table Formaldehyde by Photoionization Detectors and Gas Chromatography) and physical data collection (spirometry and survey) from 38 workers at a molding facility.Data was analyzed using paired sample t-tests and statistical models with significance set at p