Recycling facilities face constant dust from tipping, shredding, screening, and vehicle movement. Mixed materials add bioaerosols and metals to the usual PM10 and PM2.5 load. Effective control improves health, visibility, and equipment reliability.

Map sources and priorities

Walk the process from gate to bale and log visible plumes, odour, and housekeeping challenges. Prioritise transfer points, shredders, trommels, and picking lines. Note wind paths through doors and canopies.

Capture at source

Apply water suppression at hoppers and conveyors. Fit LEV hoods or slot capture near shredders and screens, ensuring adequate capture velocity at the point of release. Enclose where practical and reduce drop heights.

Control airborne dust

Use air scrubbers in sorting cabins and enclosed processing areas, choosing high-efficiency filtration and verifying airflow under load. Negative pressure in high-dust rooms helps prevent spread into welfare or offices. Position inlets and outlets to pull air across worker breathing zones.

Housekeeping and yard control

Ban sweeping and blow-downs; use industrial vacuums and damp methods for floors and structures. Schedule road and yard cleaning to cut track-out from vehicles. Rotate and change pre-filters before clogging raises energy use and lowers effectiveness.

Maintain and monitor

Include dust checks in maintenance rounds: seals on enclosures, duct damage, and filter condition. Use a PM meter to compare typical levels across shifts and after changes in throughput or weather.

Practical takeaways

• Target transfer points, shredders, and screens first.
• Combine suppression, enclosure, and LEV for source control.
• Run air scrubbers with efficient filtration in cabins and rooms.
• Vacuum-only housekeeping; control yard dust and track-out.
• Monitor PM and fix leaks before they become normal.

A layered approach keeps dust in check and operations steady, even when material streams vary from hour to hour.