AIR POLLUTION MONITORING DURING FINISHING PROCESS IN SOME WOOD PROCCESSING ENTERPRISES

Wood is one of the world's oldest and most important raw materials. During wood proccessing, diffrent kinds of material spread out in the air and couse air pollution that can be hazardous for the workers. The vast majority of air emissions are generated from the coatings used in the finishing process. This study monitors seven enterprises in Tirana, Durres, Kruja, Vlora, Berat and Shkodra. These enterprises use solvent-base coating such as polyurethane and the method of application was spray gun in cabins with water curtain, spay gun in cabins without water curtain and electrostatic application. It resulted that the best method with increased transfer efficiency (TE) and reduced volatile organic compound (VOC) emission was electrostatic coating application and the worst one was the method of spry gun in cabin without water curtain and bad ventilation. Taking in consideration not to charge the enterprises with further investments in technology improvements, we recommended just to switch polyurethane with water-base coating, or at least to use heat for better viscosity of polyurethane instead of adding more solvent. Using pollution prevention techniques can help furniture finishers to reduce emissions and waste, and save raw materials and money.