Copyright Absolent AB 2017 Printed in Sweden Pixi1708-1
TAKE A DEEP BREATH What did it feel like? Clean, fresh and relaxing? We hope so. But if not, there is probably something in this booklet for you. Every year millions of dollars are being wasted, people are getting sick and electronics are failing as a result of poor industrial air filtration. With this booklet we hope to raise awareness of indoor air pollution, particles and their impact on human health and safety. We are also happy to provide you with some ideas on how to save money and improve the environment. Turn the page and let us tell you more...
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION COMES IN DIFFERENT SIZES Oil mist, oil smoke and dust are different kinds of air pollution from machining processes. They differ in amount and particle size. Some are tiny like viruses while some are large like flour grains. Regardless of size they may impact your health and your company’s profitability.
FILL A 1 LITRE BOTTLE WITH PARTICLES To get an idea of how different these particles are, imagine putting them in a bottle. We are possibly talking about millions of tiny, invisible particles. A very effective filter unit, like one from Absolent, is the only way to capture them.
VISIBLE DUST
OIL MIST
OIL SMOKE
10 µm
2.5 µm
0.5 µm
Same size as flour
Same size as bacteria
Same size as viruses
THE SMALLER IT IS... ....the deeper into the body the particle goes. The human body has a built in protection that filters away particles of larger sizes. The problem arises when the particles are so small that they pass the human filter and continue on into the respiratory system, lungs or the bloodstream.
WHY BREATHE DIRTY AIR? Each day we drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid, while we inhale as much as 11000 litres of air. You would never drink dirty water so why should you accept breathing dirty air?
PARTICLES ARE GETTING SMALLER AND SMALLER Years ago industrial air pollution might have made workers and their surroundings dirty, but due to slower rpm:s and lower coolant pressures particles were probably larger than they are today. Our experience is that air pollution levels from modern machines are higher. The pollution also contains an enormous amount of very small particles. The air might not be visibly dirty, but it is absolutely not clean. That’s why a high performance filter unit is needed!
AQI & INDUSTRIAL POLLUTION Awareness of outdoor air pollution is well spread. Traffic in cities has been limited and schools are closing. The particles are called PM 10 and PM 2.5. These are the same size as oil mist and oil smoke. In some cases, the threshold value inside of factories is up to ten times higher than the AQI (Air Quality Index) value that is considered hazardous out on the streets. We know, it’s not the same particles, but the size is the same.
GOOD
GOOD
(19 AQI)
Schools close in Beijing due to heavy pollution (PM 2.5/500 AQI)
Polluted cities (PM 2.5/350 AQI)
(42 AQI)
Typical oil mist level after an Absolent filter unit
WHAT WE INHALE AT WORK Remember inhaling 11000 litres of air each day? Well, spending 1/3 of the day at work means that 3700 litres is inhaled there. That’s why the risks of poor indoor air quality at your workplace should not be neglected.
METAL WORKING FLUIDS INHALED ANNUALLY To understand the magnitude of what could end up in your body annually we have put together some examples below. Working outside of a high speed grinder could mean that up to 25 ml of metal working fluids could be inhaled every year.
POOR AIR QUALITY HEALTH RISKS Many national health organizations have reported adverse health risks related to exposure to indoor industrial pollution such as oil mist, oil smoke and dust. For years it has been known that exposure to metal working fluids, both through contact with skin and inhalation, results in health problems such as: • Irritation of the skin, lungs, eyes, nose and throat. • Dermatitis • Acne • Occupational Asthma • Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis
One relatively unexamined thesis is that poor air quality can also affect productivity. Recent studies show a productivity loss of 6% for indoor workers when outdoor air quality deteriorates.
DAMAGE TO ELECTRONICS Another, more known fact is that the pollution particles stick to the inside of electrical cabinets where they cause great damage by short circuiting which resuluts in costly production losses.
BENEFITS OF CLEAN AIR IN YOUR WORKSHOP Non-functioning filter units cause dirty air to leak into the factory, even from air tight machines. Every time the operator opens the machine doors, dirty air escapes. Not only does it make the premises dirty and non-represenative to potential customers. It is also a waste of oil. The example below comes from an Absolent customer that collects and re-uses 47 litres of oil from a grinder, each week.
SAVE ON HEATING & COOLING Without proper air filtration the general ventilation unit is quickly damaged. When the air is filtered it is possible to recover the energy from the process and re-use it in the facility for heating or cooling.
LESS CLEANING & FEWER REPAIRS Dirty machines and slippery floors are also common issues related to industrial pollution. By filtering dirty air from the machines before returning it into the facility less cleaning is needed.
FIND OUT IF YOUR FILTER WORKS A functioning filter unit should not only clean the air. It also needs to extract it and the extraction has to remain efficient even if the filter isn’t brand new. If not, polluted air will escape. To find out if your filter unit is doing its job, we have developed the Absolent Smoke Bottle. When you press on it a white, nontoxic, smoke is released. It shows the direction of the air. If your filter unit is working as it should the smoke will be extracted into your machine. If it remains on the outside, the extraction is too poor and service is needed.
SOURCES Chang, Tom, Joshua Graff Zivin, Tal Gross, and Matthew Neidell (2016). “Particulate Pollution and the Productivity of Pear Packers.” American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 8(3): 141-69 EPA - Environmental Protection Agency. Air Quality Index (AQI) Basics, https://airnow. gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi Harris, Randall E. (2012). “Epidemiology of Chronic Disease: Global Perspectives” Mayer, Helena (2015). Karolinska Institutet, http://ki.se/en/research/stop-gulping-awayyoure-not-short-of-water. First published in Medicinsk Vetenskap, no 2, 2015 OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration. “Metalworking Fluids: Safety and Health Best Practices Manual” WHO - World Health Organization – ”Health effects of particulate matter”, http:// www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/189051/Health-effects-ofparticulate-matter-final-Eng.pdf WHO - World Health Organization, ”Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health”, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs313/en/
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