What is the action limit (AL) and permissible exposure limit (PEL) for cotton dust?

For cotton dust, the AL as an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) as measured by a vertical elutriator or an equivalent instrument:

• For yarn manufacturing and cotton washing operations is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 100 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) mean concentration;
• For waste houses for textile operations is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 250 µg/m3 mean concentration; and
• For the textile processes known as slashing and weaving is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 375 µg/m3 mean concentration.

The PEL over an 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) as measured by a vertical elutriator or an equivalent instrument:

• For yarn manufacturing and cotton washing operations is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 200 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) mean concentration;
• For waste houses for textile operations is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 500 µg/m3 mean concentration; and
• For the textile processes known as slashing and weaving is an airborne concentration of lint-free respirable cotton dust of 750 µg/m3 mean concentration.