What are co*ke oven emissions?
co*ke oven emissions come from large ovens that are used to heat coal to produce co*ke, which is used to manufacture iron and steel. The emissions are complex mixtures of dust, vapors, and gases that typically include carcinogens such as cadmium and arsenic. Chemicals recovered from co*ke oven emissions are used as raw materials for producing items such as plastics, solvents, dyes, paints, and insulation.
How are people exposed to co*ke oven emissions?
Workers at co*king plants and coal-tar production plants may be exposed to co*ke oven emissions. Occupational exposures can also occur among workers in the aluminum, steel, graphite, electrical, and construction industries. The primary routes of potential human exposure to co*ke oven emissions are inhalation and absorption through the skin.
Which cancers are associated with exposure to co*ke oven emissions?
Exposure to co*ke oven emissions increases therisk of lung cancer and, possibly, kidney cancer.
How can exposures be reduced?
The U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration provides information about exposure limits for co*ke oven emissions.
Selected References:
- Health Effects Notebook for Hazardous Air Pollutants. co*ke Oven Emissions Fact Sheet. Washington, DC: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 2013. Available online. Last accessed February 1, 2019.
- International Agency for Research on Cancer. co*ke Production, IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Volume 100F. Lyon, France: World Health Organization, 2012. Available online. Last accessed February 1, 2019.
- National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health. co*ke Oven Emissions, NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2010. Available online. Last accessed February 1, 2019.
- National Toxicology Program. co*ke-Oven Emissions, Report on Carcinogens, Fifteenth Edition. Triangle Park, NC: National Institute of Environmental Health and Safety, 2021. Available online. Last accessed December 5, 2022.
