
CDC warns coffee workers of hazardous chemicals - jdnier
http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/cdc-warns-coffee-workers-of-hazardous-chemicals-b99588225z1-330424931.html
======
jdnier
"It has also uncovered, through groundbreaking testing, that workers are being
exposed to high levels of the chemicals in roasting facilities that don't use
added flavors."

This article is a follow-up on a series done by the Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, which has gotten the attention of the CDC.

[http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/gasping-for-
action-32298865...](http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/gasping-for-
action-322988651.html)

~~~
gcb0
"As many as 70% of sweet-flavored e-cigs contain diacetyl [...]"

Happy to known at least the ecig fad is a problem that will solve itself.

------
dallen33
I wonder if this affects home roasters who do it in popcorn poppers or the
oven.

~~~
almog
I'm too, curious about that. I too popcorn-roast my coffee about once in two
weeks on my back yard though some smoke finds its way inside. Been doing that
for 6 years or so with no noticeable side-effects, though I'm not sure how
immediate does diacetyl affects your (my) lungs.

------
nbschulze
It would be great if anyone had more insight on this. I roast a pound of
coffee about once every other week in my garage. I obviously grind it later,
as I use it.

It would be nice to know if this is something that compounds over time or if
it is just the high concentration of the chemical that is affecting the people
being reported on.

~~~
ars
> It would be nice to know if this is something that compounds over time or if
> it is just the high concentration of the chemical that is affecting the
> people being reported on.

I think the science is not settled yet, which is why they are having a hard
time making an exposure rule, but:

"NIOSH noted that five of six current employees who worked in the quality
control room popping nearly 100 bags of product in microwave ovens per shift
suffered airway obstruction despite relatively low full shift exposure to
butter flavoring vapors."

[http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-01-21/pdf/E9-1125.pdf](http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2009-01-21/pdf/E9-1125.pdf)

From what I read about it seems like a cumulative hazard with no known safe
level, every exposure does some damage. So I would install ventilation, or
just buy a gas mask (they are not expensive, you can get them at a hardware
store, probably cheaper than a ventilation system).

~~~
jdnier
But there are different levels of respirators, some with filters for organic
vapors, which I think you'd want if your goal is lowering diacetyl and
2,3-pentanedione exposure.

~~~
ars
One rated OV for Organic Vapor should be enough.

Evidence:

[https://www.aiha.org/events/AIHce/AIHceAbstracts/Pages/Respi...](https://www.aiha.org/events/AIHce/AIHceAbstracts/Pages/Respiratory-
Protection-I-2015.aspx)

Section "SR-101-02 Determination of the Service Life of Air-Purifying
Respirators against 2,3-Pentanedione"

~~~
jdnier
Talk about germane, that's an excellent link. Thank you.

------
kazinator
Roasting coffee releases this stuff called smoke. It's a complete no brainer
that you shouldn't breathe that, and that even low levels of chronic exposure
are going to be bad for you similarly to second-hand cigarette smoke.

You're taking juicy green or red beans that visually resemble cranberries, and
turning them hard and black to the point that they nearly resemble charcoal.

When you grind the results, the dust is probably something that in some ways
resembles dust in a coal mine. Don't breathe that, either!

~~~
tsomctl
Modern coffee roasters don't expose the workers to the smoke. They have a big
box mounted to the side of the roaster called the after burner. It filters the
air that comes out of the roaster to remove the chaff (basically the thin
paper that covers the bean). It then passes the air through a large heating
element that finishes burning any particulates (A tiny coffee roaster's after
burner draws 50 amps at 220 volts, or 11000 watts. A small space heater draws
around 1500 watts, for comparison). This hot air is then either piped outside
through a vent, or passed through the beans again to help them roast. Then,
when the beans come out, they land on a grate with a stirrer. A large fan
sucks air past them, and also blows it outside. There is very little smoke put
into the room, basically only when the beans are falling from the roaster into
the stirrer. It's a large, expensive, relatively complicated computer-
controlled machine with the main goal of eliminating smoke. From my
understanding of this research, they're saying workers are being exposed to
harmful pollutants despite all of this equipment to reduce emissions.

And in all my time repairing coffee grinders, I have never noticed a
significant amount of fine dust. Coffee is actually a little oily, so any fine
particles turns into a thick buildup that's a huge pain to remove.

~~~
kazinator
> _A large fan sucks air past them, and also blows it outside._

But people go outside on their break, and indoor air comes from the outside.

------
peterwwillis
Would this require particulate or chemical respirators?

edit: just re-read the headline. Nevermind.

