Pellet safety addressed in new report

Health and Safety Aspects of Solid Biomass Storage, Transportation and Feeding is a joint-effort report by a variety of international experts, including the Wood Pellet Association of Canada's own Staffan Melin.

This publication focuses on the health and safety issues of the
supply chain of solid biofuels with the objective to highlight commonly
used mitigation methodologies to promote a better working environment
when dealing with solid biofuels. It has been compiled as a joint effort
by experts active in Tasks 32, 36, 37 and 40 of the IEA Bioenergy
Agreement, with their own specific fields of expertise. Only through
this cooperation, it was possible to touch upon the full range of issues
in one publication that one may come across when developing projects in
which solid biomass fuels are produced, traded or used.

The properties of a biomass material and the intended use determine
how the material should be safely transported and stored. Self-heating,
off-gassing and dust explosions are significant challenges for the
industry that have already resulted in significant losses of capital
investments and even tragic loss of life. Likewise, exposure to
biologically active material, such as moulds and spores may form a
serious hazard for the health of workers involved. With the growth of
the bioenergy sector, it is important not only that opportunities for
bioenergy are implemented in an efficient and economic manner, but also
safely.

The complete report is available for download here.