The welding sector is facing an ecological turning point: a market that employs over 200,000 professionals, with a turnover of over 40 billion euros, that wants to evolve, innovate and embrace a greener processing policy. What are the problems with the highest environmental impact? And what are the possible solutions? Let’s see them together.
Air emissions from welding: radiation, fumes, dust
First of all, we need to talk about the most dangerous emissions into the atmosphere from welding, both for professionals and for those who use the finished product.
One of the most important risk factors for you, especially for operators, comes from the radiation emitted during welding: the most dangerous are ultraviolet radiation, as it is absorbed almost entirely by the skin and eyes. The protection of each exposed area is the most effective solution.
Welding fumes, on the other hand, are a very different problem: the effect changes according to the welded metal, going from problems with the respiratory system to damage to the skeletal system. For this reason, during welding, the work area must be well ventilated, or equipped with the right suction machinery.
Another element that requires suction are the so-called welding powders, very small particles of material with high toxicity and capable of penetrating the respiratory system. Electrode welding has the highest concentration of dust among all welding techniques, so you need to protect yourself with a mask
What are we doing for a more environmentally friendly welding?
The first step towards greener welding is to improve the energy efficiency of the tools used. An action with a dual value: reduction of emissions and increase in productivity of each welding process.
The solution, today, seems to be the use of electronic parts instead of electrical components for the construction of generators: we talk about energy savings of up to 70%! Given the advance of increasingly smaller and more portable equipment, this goal seems to be closer and closer.
Emissions are reduced through the use of new consumable products (such as electrodes), which are technologically advanced and less subject to the release of fumes and dust.
