Wood dust, the new limits. EU will gradually reduce limit for hardwood

After months of discussion, the European institutions have found agreement to carry out a review of European legislation on the protection of workers from carcinogenic and mutagenic agents. Among the various substances considered are the hardwood dust whose current exposure limit, as provided by Italian legislation, is 5 mg/m3.
The agreement, with the contribution of FederlegnoArredo in the first line since the first steps of the legislative process to avoid drastic lowering at the threshold of 1 mg/m3,  provides for a gradual reduction of the value to 3 mg/m3 and subsequently to 2 mg/m3 within five years of the entry into force of the Directive.
“This is a delicate issue in which it is necessary to guarantee both the protection of workers as well as the real technical and economic feasibility of the proposed measures that would impose on companies unsustainable adjustments. We went to protect the entire supply chain and especially packaging and sawmill compartments, thus avoiding heavy economic repercussions for companies and their employees” commented Federhemo Arredo’s president, Emanuele Orsini.

The agreement will be ratified by the European Parliament and Council in Autumn.