Ozone/Buntrock Trash Room

EHS
Occupational Safety & Health
Occupational Health
Ozone/Buntrock Trash Room

Why Do We Use Ozone? Compostable materials are brought to two large dumpsters in the Buntrock Trash Room. When these dumpsters are full the materials are hauled off site for processing. To control/eliminate odors made by the decaying food materials, ozone gas is pumped into the two dumpsters (in simple terms the ozone molecules react instantly with the odor-causing molecules; this eliminates the “garbage” smell and also destroys the ozone molecules).

To ensure that ozone levels remain at a safe level in the Trash Room, the ozone generator is controlled by a sensor.

If ozone levels approach the OSHA 8-hour Permissible Exposure Limit of 0.1 ppm then the sensor automatically turns off the ozone generator.
Therefore, individuals who enter the Trash Room are never exposed to harmful levels of ozone.
- It is important to note that humans can smell ozone at levels (0.03 ppm) far below the OSHA limit of 0.1 ppm.

The ozone sensor is located between the two dumpsters, above the large white metal box that says “Sonozaire Odor Neutralizer.”

Green Light = ozone being produced and pumped into dumpsters.

Yellow Light = ozone not being produced.

If you suspect a problem with the ozone generator or sensor because:

you think that you smell “a lot” of ozone
you smell “a lot” of garbage
you experience coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, throat/lung irritation, or pain when breathing deeply
neither the green nor yellow light are lit on the ozone sensor

Then please exit the Trash Room and contact your Supervisor, Facilities (-3280), or the Chemical Hygiene Officer (-3560).

If the breathing issues do not fade away after a few minutes in fresh air then contact Public Safety or 911 (your health issue may not be related to Ozone!).

Ozone at high airborne levels can be an irritant: at high levels it can cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, throat and lung irritation, and pain when breathing deeply.
- If you experience any of these symptoms while in the Trash Room then leave the room and contact your Supervisor, Facilities (-3280), or the Chemical Hygiene Officer (-3560).
- If the breathing issues do not fade away after a few minutes in fresh air then contact Public Safety or 911 (your health issue may not be related to Ozone!).

Ozone can smell like:
- that smell just before a summer thunderstorm
- a sweet pungent “zing”
- “metallic”
- “chlorine-like”
It is important to note that humans can smell ozone at levels (0.03 ppm) far below the OSHA limit of 0.1 ppm. You may notice a faint smell of ozone, but that is ok.