{"id":154837,"date":"2026-03-19T19:46:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T17:46:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/our-advice\/industrial-pollutants-in-composite-materials-manufacturing\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T11:29:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T09:29:59","slug":"industrial-pollutants-in-composite-materials-manufacturing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/materiaux-composites\/industrial-pollutants-in-composite-materials-manufacturing\/","title":{"rendered":"Industrial Pollutants in Composite Materials Manufacturing"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Composite materials are now widely used in many industrial sectors. Their unique combination of lightness, rigidity and mechanical strength makes them materials of choice for manufacturing technical structures. <\/p>\n\n<p>They are found in particular in:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>aeronautics<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>automotive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>marine<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>wind energy<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>plastics processing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sports equipment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>A composite material consists of two main elements:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>a <strong>polymer matrix<\/strong>, generally a polyester, vinylester or epoxy resin<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>a <strong>fibrous reinforcement<\/strong>, most often fiberglass or carbon fiber<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>The transformation of these materials involves several industrial processes that can generate <strong>atmospheric pollutants and industrial dust<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/materiaux-composites\/vapeurs-resine-epoxy-industrie\/\">See our case study on chemical vapor and VOC emissions from epoxy resins and hardeners (amines) and how our source capture systems, ePURBOX and CLEARBOX, addressed the issue.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Composite Manufacturing Processes<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>The manufacturing of composite parts relies on different transformation processes.<\/p>\n\n<p>The most common in industry are:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>hand lay-up<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>simultaneous spray-up<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>vacuum infusion (<a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/materiaux-composites\/emissions-cov-infusion-composite\/\">see case study<\/a>)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>press molding<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>oven curing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>mechanical machining<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>sanding and finishing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>These processes allow fibers to be impregnated with a resin and then polymerize the assembly to obtain a rigid part.<\/p>\n\n<p>However, these operations can generate different types of pollutant emissions.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Main Pollutants in Composite Workshops<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Several types of pollutants can be encountered in composite manufacturing workshops.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Polyester and vinylester resins often contain <strong>styrene<\/strong>, a reactive monomer that can evaporate into the air during manufacturing.<\/p>\n\n<p>Also found are:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>industrial solvents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>resin vapors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>catalyst or hardener emissions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>These substances belong to the family of <strong>volatile organic compounds (VOCs)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/materiaux-composites\/captation-styrene-stratification-composite\/\">See the use case detailing the risk related to volatile organic compounds and styrene<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Composite Dust<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Machining and finishing operations produce dust composed of:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>fiberglass<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>carbon fibers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>polymerized resin particles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>This dust can be very fine and remain suspended in the air.<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/materiaux-composites\/poussieres-fibre-carbone-usinage-composite\/\">See the use case presenting existing solutions to address hazards from composite dust and carbon fibers.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Industrial Fumes and Mists<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<p>Certain operations can also generate:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>polymerization fumes<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>gelcoat spray mists<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>chemical vapors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>These emissions can degrade air quality in workshops.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Health Risks in the Composites Industry<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>Exposure to pollutants generated during composite manufacturing can cause different health effects on operators.<\/p>\n\n<p>According to prevention recommendations published by INRS, dust and chemical substances present in certain industrial processes can cause:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>respiratory irritation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>skin irritation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>eye irritation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>headaches<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>fatigue<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>allergic sensitization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Fine dust from machining can also be inhaled and penetrate the respiratory tract. <\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Prevention of these risks is an important issue in composite workshops.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th><strong>Substance \/ Agent<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Classification (CMR)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>OEL (indicative)<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Main Risks<\/strong><\/th><th><strong>Remarks<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Styrene<\/td><td>CMR cat. 2 (suspected carcinogen) <\/td><td>20 ppm (\u2248 86 mg\/m\u00b3) \u2013 8h<\/td><td>Neurological effects, irritation, suspected cancer<\/td><td>Very common in polyester resins<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fiberglass dust<\/td><td>Not classified CMR<\/td><td>1 fiber\/cm\u00b3 (indicative)<\/td><td>Skin, eye, respiratory tract irritation<\/td><td>Depends on diameter and biopersistence<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Carbon fibers<\/td><td>Not classified CMR<\/td><td>No specific OEL (ref. dust: 3 mg\/m\u00b3 alveolar)<\/td><td>Respiratory risks (fine dust)<\/td><td>Conductive, may also pose electrical risks<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Epoxy resins<\/td><td>Not CMR (generally) but sensitizing<\/td><td>Variable depending on components<\/td><td>Skin allergies, occupational asthma<\/td><td>High risk with repeated contact<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Amines (epoxy hardeners)<\/td><td>Some CMR depending on substance<\/td><td>Variable<\/td><td>Irritation, toxicity, sensitization<\/td><td>Check SDS product by product<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Solvents (acetone, etc.)<\/td><td>Not CMR (variable depending on solvents)<\/td><td>Ex: acetone 500 ppm<\/td><td>Neurological effects, irritation<\/td><td>Highly dependent on products used<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Composite dust<\/td><td>Not classified overall<\/td><td>3 mg\/m\u00b3 (alveolar fraction)<\/td><td>Fiber + resin mixture \u2192 respiratory effects<\/td><td>Risk underestimated in workshops<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Another case study: <a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/materiaux-composites\/poussieres-fibre-verre-decoupe-composite\/\">fiberglass dust during composite cutting<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Capture Composite Pollutants?<\/h2>\n\n<p>Capture and treatment of industrial pollutants allow:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>operator protection<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>improved workshop air quality<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>limited dust dispersion<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>reduced industrial odors<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>compliance with regulatory requirements<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>Source capture is one of the most effective methods to limit exposure.<\/p>\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>OberA Solutions for Composite Pollutant Capture<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n<p>OberA designs industrial solutions adapted to composite production environments.<\/p>\n\n<p>These systems enable in particular:<\/p>\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/produits\/bras-dispositifs-captation\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"15176\">source capture of pollutants<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/produits\/aspirateurs-industriels\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"41\">industrial dust extraction<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>fine particle filtration<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/produits\/traitement-cov\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"36\">VOC treatment<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>improved workshop ventilation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<p>These technologies contribute to improving working conditions and industrial air quality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Composite materials and inorganic fibers are at the heart of many industrial activities, but their handling can expose operators to health risks. Identifying these hazards and implementing effective protection solutions is essential to secure teams and optimize working conditions. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":114244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"1010","_seopress_titles_title":"Composites: Hazards of VOCs, Styrene and Fiberglass","_seopress_titles_desc":"Composite manufacturing: protect your operators from VOCs, styrene and fiber dust. Discover OberA capture solutions ","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1042],"tags":[513,1043],"class_list":["post-154837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-composite-materials","tag-dust-collectors","tag-voc-treatment","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-50","no-featured-image-padding","resize-featured-image"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154837","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=154837"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":154841,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/154837\/revisions\/154841"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=154837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=154837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/obera.fr\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=154837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}