Transitioning the industrial sector’s energy system to renewable sources is crucial to reduce climate change. There is no exception for China, currently having the highest absolute levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the world. The industrial sector accounts for about two thirds of the national energy consumption and coal is the country’s most important energy source. The integration of alternative energy sources such as solar can help transitioning the country’s energy system. By presenting a techno-economic analysis, this thesis gives an indication for profitability and in what extent there is a potential to cover the steam demand with a decentralized solar heat technology for two industries, fish and textile, in the Zhejiang province in eastern China. The used solar technology is a system with parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) with an integrated gas fired boiler. The PTC-system is compared with a coal-fired centralized supplier. The analyzed factors were roof area, solar irradiation, solar fraction, cost for steam from the centralized suppliers and cost of coal and natural gas. The maximum CO2 reduction is found to be dependent on the potential installation area. The greater area installed, the larger is the capacity and thus also the CO2 savings. The share of total steam demand covered by solar is directly proportional to the demand in relation to the installed solar capacity. The fish industry, having the lowest steam demand in relation to the roof area, is found to be able to save the largest relative proportion of CO2 emissions. Different scenarios are presented, modifying the fuel cost and fuel type for the PTC-system’s boiler, adjusting the steam cost from the centralized suppliers and using two different solar fractions of 35% and 50%. The CO2 savings depends on what fuel is being used and the solar fraction. Larger CO2 reductions are possible with a gas fired boiler compared to a coal fired one. But using a coal fired boiler makes it more economically profitable, matching the low coal price used for the centralized supplier. The scenario with most CO2 reductions is attained when using a high solar fraction of 50% and a natural gas fired boiler. The annual CO2 savings is then ranging from 15 tons per year for the company having the lowest steam capacity, up to 2090 tons/year for the company with one of the highest. Another significant factor is the companies’ seasonal activity. For the company having the least amount of active days per year (84 out of 365 days), the PTC-system is unprofitable whichever scenario. However, fuel costs for the boiler is found to be one of the most significant factors for the outcome determining if the investigated PTC-system is profitable or not. For all of the companies, there was only one that could provide all its steam demand with the PTC-system. This indicates that other energy sources need to be integrated to provide the steam demand of the enterprises with a renewable energy system. / Att omvandla industrins energisystem med förnyelsebara energikällor är väsentligt för att bromsa klimatförändringarna. Det är inget undantag för Kina, som nuvarande har de största absoluta nivåerna av utsläpp av växthusgaser i världen. Industrin står för ca två tredjedelar av den nationella energiförbrukningen och kol är landets största energikälla. Integrerandet av andra alternativ såsom solenergi kan dock hjälpa till i landets energiomvandling. Denna rapport syftar till att presentera en tekno-ekonomisk analys av en decentraliserad solfångare och ge indikation på lönsamhet samt i vilken grad tekniken kan förse behovet av ånga för två industrier, textil och fiske, i Zhejiang provinsen i östra Kina. Den solfångarteknik som används är ett system med Parabolic trough collectors (PTCs) med integrerad gaseldad ångpanna. Systemet jämförs med kraftvärmeverk som drivs med kol. De analyserade faktorerna är takytan, solar fraction, solinstrålning, kostnad för ånga samt ångpannans bränslekostnader. Besparingarna för CO2-utsläpp beror på den potentiella installationsytan. Ju större installationsyta, desto högre kapacitet och därmed högre CO2-besparingar. Andelen av behovet ånga som kan förses med solfångare är i direkt proportion till takytan och det totala behovet. Fiskeindustrin, som har lägre ångbehov i relation till takyta, visar sig kunna spara den största relativa mängden CO2-utsläpp. Olika scenarier presenteras, där bränslekostnaden och typ av bränsle för PTC-systemets ångpanna modifieras, kostnaden för ånga från de centraliserade leverantörerna justeras och solar fraction ändras mellan 35% och 50%. Besparingarna i CO2-utsläpp beror på vilket bränsle som används samt solar fraction. Större CO2-reduktion är möjlig med en gaseldad panna jämfört med en koleldad. Dock är en koleldad panna lönsammare när den matchar det låga priset på kol som används för de centraliserade leverantörerna. Scenariot med de största CO2-besparingarna uppnås med en hög solar fraction på 50% och en naturgaseldad panna. De årliga CO2-besparingarna varierar från 15 ton per år för det företag som har den lägsta ångkapacitet, upp till 2090 ton per år för ett företag med en av den högsta kapaciteten ånga. En annan viktig faktor är företagens aktivitet per år. Företaget som har minst aktiva dagar per år (84 av 365 dagar), är ej lönsamt i något av de testade scenarierna. Bränslekostnaderna för pannan har emellertid visat sig vara en av de viktigaste faktorerna för resultatet som avgör om det undersökta PTC-systemet är lönsamt eller inte. Bland alla företagen fanns det bara ett som kunde förse hela sitt ångbehov, med PTC-systemet. Detta indikerar att andra energikällor måste införas för att förse företagens ångbehov med ett förnybart energisystem.

This thesis considers the contemporary work of the museum in the post-industrial setting of Glasgow. It interprets and understands how the museum as a space gives voice to New Labour’s concepts of social inclusion and citizenship whilst being embroiled in the wider process of urban regeneration and city enhancement. This research has been conducted using a mixed methodology incorporating policy analysis, participant observation and interviews, engaging with policy documentation, museum professionals and museum users in its goal to understand how the museum has been and is positioned within society. In exploring how museums have sought to become more socially inclusive, the research examined four different programmes in detail. These included two outreach projects; one working with adult learners and the other with different religious groups in the city. The research has also followed the contribution of a group of volunteers and finally it has engaged with the on-going processes surrounding the building of the city’s latest museum. The research findings have highlighted a complex and entangled set of power relations in the attempts to articulate social inclusion policy through the museum. This suggests, building upon the work of Foucault, that the museum embraces a soft-disciplinary power in relation to citizens. Specific programmes of the museum service targeting social inclusion reveal the benefits the individual may enjoy through participating in cultural events from which they might otherwise feel excluded. Yet, the reach of such programmes question the extent to which they are able to address social inclusion in the city. Recent developments – the production of the city’s newest museum as part of the riverside regeneration in particular – reveal how the installation of the iconic museum is closely allied to the wider project of urban economic regeneration. The planning of the Riverside Museum, however, has been attentive to the social inclusion agenda, particularly through the questions of access. Finally, the research shows how the city’s dominant growth agenda has resulted in a changing role for curators, shifting their agency away from a more traditional practice in which they were key gatekeepers, coordinating what museums displayed and how they did so, and towards a role that reflects a more scrutinised form of managerial control.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the flow field above a proposed solar chimney power plant, without a cross wind, using a commercial numerical solver in the form of CFX 4-4 by AEA Technology plc. The governing equations solved are for an incompressible steady state solution. Variation in density due to buoyant effects is modelled with the Boussinesq approximation, and turbulence is approximated by the k-ε model with modifications due to buoyancy. The effect of different turbulence conditions at atmospheric inflows is also investigated. Modifications to the k-ε turbulence model in the context of atmospheric turbulence are investigated and applied to the standard k-ε model. These modifications include the addition of source terms in the turbulence kinetic energy and the turbulence dissipation rate equations to allow for the production/destruction of turbulence due to buoyancy. Other modifications include an additional source term in the turbulence dissipation rate equation accounting for atmospheric stability and the specification of model constants relevant to atmospheric flows. Initial results for the flow field using the Boussinesq approximation show reasonable correlation between the current study and the study by Thiart (2002) whereby the flow field exhibits characteristics of the axially symmetric turbulent jet. One of the primary and most noticeable differences between the current study and that of Thiart (2002) is the difference in height at which air is drawn into the collector. In order to account for variation in density with height, a modification on the Boussinesq approximation, the Deep Boussinesq model, Montavon (1998), is applied to a simplified 100 m by 100 m rectangular geometry. The results obtained are compared to a similar model using the Boussinesq approximation and it is seen that the average velocities reached in the deep Boussinesq model are significantly larger than those obtained in the Boussinesq approximation. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek die vloeiveld bo 'n aangewese son-skoorsteen kragstasie, deur die gebruik van 'n kommersiële numeriese oplosser in die vorm van CFX 4-4; van AEA Technology plc. Die heersende vergelykings wat opgelos moet word, is vir 'n niesaampersbare, tyd-onafhanklike oplossing. Die wisseling in digtheid as gevolg van saamdrukbaarheids effekte, word gemodelleer met die Boussinesq benadering en turbulensie-skatting deur die k-ε model met aanpassings as gevolg van dryfkrag. Die effek van die verskillende turbulensie-toestande teen atmosferiese invloeing word ook ondersoek. Aanpassings op die k-ε turbulensie-model in die konteks van atmosferies turbulensie word ondersoek en toegepas op die standaard k-ε model. Hierdie veranderinge sluit die byvoeging van bron terme in die turbulente kinetiese energie en die turbulensieverspillings vergelykings om ruimte te laat vir die produksie/afbreking van turbulensie as gevolg van dryfkrag in. Ander aanpassings sluit in 'n bykomende bron term in die turbulensie-verspillings vergelyking wat rekenskap gee vir atmosferiese stabiliteit en die spesifikasie van model onveranderlikes met betrekking tot atmosferiese vloei. Aanvanklike resultate vir die vloeiveld met die gebruik van die Boussinesq benadering dui op geredelike ooreenstemming tussen de huidige studie en die studie van Thiart (2002), waar die vloeiveld eienskappe toon van 'n simmetriese turbulente spilpunt. Een van die mees primêre en duidelikste verskille tussen die huidige studie en diè van Thiart (2002) is die verskil in die hoogte waarteen die lug in die samesteller ingesuig word. Om rekenskep te kan gee vir die verskil in digtheid met betrekking tot hoogte is 'n aanpassing van die Boussinesq benadering, die Diep Bussinesq model, Montavon (1998), aangebring. Hierdie aanpassing word toegepas op ‘n vereenvoudigde 100 m by 100 m reghoek. Die resultate wat verkry word, word vergelyk met 'n soortgelyke model waar die algemene snelheid wat met die diep Boussinesq model bereik word merkbaar groter is as die in die Boussinesq benadering.

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates energy generation by large-scale solar tower power plants. The performance characteristics of a so-called reference plant with a 4000 m diameter glass collector roof and a 1500 m high, 160 m diameter tower are determined for a site located in South Africa. The relevant draught and conservation equations are derived, discretized and implemented in a numerical model which solves the equations using speci ed meteorological input data and determines the power delivered by the plant. The power output of a solar tower power plant over a twenty-four hour period is presented. Corresponding temperature distributions in the ground under the collector are shown. Variations in seasonal generation are evaluated and the total annual electrical output is determined. The dependency of the power output on collector diameter and tower height is illustrated, while showing that greater power production can be facilitated by optimizing the roof shape and height. The minor in uence of the tower shadow falling across the collector is evaluated, while the e ect of prevailing winds on the power generated is found to be signi cant. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek elektrisiteitsopwekking deur grootskaalse sontoringkragstasies. Die uitsetkarakteristieke van 'n sogenaamde verwysings-kragstasie met 'n 4000 m deursnee glas kollektor en 'n 1500 m hoë, 160 m deursnee toring word ondersoek vir 'n spesi eke ligging in Suid-Afrika. Die toepaslike trek- en behoudsvergelykings word afgelei, gediskretiseer en geimplementeer in 'n numeriese rekenaarmodel. Die rekenaarmodel los die betrokke vergelykings op deur gebruik te maak van gespesi seerde meteorologiese invoerdata en bepaal dan die uitset gelewer deur die kragstasie. Die uitset van 'n sontoring-kragstasie oor 'n periode van vier-en-twintig uur word getoon. Ooreenstemmende temperatuurverdelings in die grond onder die kollektor word geïllustreer. Die variasie in seisoenale elektrisiteitsopwekking word ondersoek en die totale jaarlikse elektriese uitset bepaal. Die invloed wat die kragstasie dimensies (kollektor deursnee en toring hoogte) op die uitset het, word bestudeer en resultate getoon. Daar is ook bevind dat verhoogde uitset meegebring kan word deur die vorm en hoogte van die kollektordak te optimeer. Die geringe e ek van die toringskadu op die kollektor word bespreek, terwyl bevind is dat heersende winde 'n beduidende e ek op die kragstasie uitset het.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Parabolic trough solar collectors (PTSCs) constitute a proven source of thermal energy for industrial process heat and power generation, although their implementation has been strongly influenced by economics. In recent years, environmental concerns and other geopolitical factors have focused attention on renewable energy resources, improving the prospects for PTSC deployment. Further work is needed to improve system efficiencies and active areas of research include development of advanced heat collecting elements and working fluids, optimisation of collector structures, thermal storage and direct steam generation (DSG). A parabolic trough collector, similar in size to smaller-scale commercial modules, has been developed locally for use in an ongoing PTSC research programme. The aim of this study was to test and fully characterise the performance of the collector. Specialised logging software was developed to record test data and monitor PTSC performance in real-time. Two heat collecting elements were tested with the collector, one unshielded and the other with an evacuated glass cover. Testing was carried out according to the ASHRAE 93-1986 (RA 91) standard, yielding results for the thermal efficiency, collector acceptance angle, incidence angle modifier and collector time constant. Peak thermal efficiency was 55.2 % with the unshielded receiver and 53.8 % with the glass-shielded unit. The evacuated glass shield offered superior performance overall, reducing the receiver heat loss coefficient by 50.2 % at maximum test temperature. The collector time constant was less than 30 s for both receivers, indicating low thermal inertia. Thermal loss tests were conducted and performance of the trough’s tracking system was evaluated. The measured acceptance angles of 0.43° (unshielded) and 0.52° (shielded) both exceeded the tracking accuracy of the PTSC, ensuring that the collector operated within 2 % of its optimal efficiency at all times. Additionally, experimental results were compared with a finite-volume thermal model, which showed potential for predicting trough performance under forced convection conditions.

Thesis (MScEng (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2000. / A solar chimney power plant consists of a central chimney that is surrounded by a transparent canopy located a few meters above ground level. The ground beneath this canopy or collector as it is known is heated by the solar radiation that is effectively trapped by the collector. This in turn heats the air in the collector, which flows radially inwards towards the chimney. This movement is driven by the difference between the hydrostatic pressure of the air inside- and outside the solar chimney system. The energy is extracted from the air by a turbine driven generator situated at the base of the chimney. The performance of such a solar chimney power plant is evaluated in this study making use of a detailed mathematical model. In this model the relevant discretised energy and draught equations are deduced and solved to determine the performance of a specific plant referred to as the "reference plant". This plant is to be located at a site near Sishen in the Northern Cape in South Africa where meteorological data is available. The performance characteristics of this plant are presented using values from the 21 st of December as an example. These characteristics include the instantaneous and integrated power output, as well as the absorption of the solar radiation of each of the parts of the collector. The air temperatures throughout the plant and the convective heat transfer coefficients in the collector in the region of developing and fully developed flow are presented. The pressure of the air throughout the system is presented as well as the pressure drop over the turbine. Temperature distributions in the ground below the collector are also presented and discussed.

Thesis (PhD (Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / This project investigates the performance of solar chimney power plant turbines. A solar chimney power plant consists of a tall chimney surrounded by a transparent deck or solar collector. The sun heats the air in the collector through the greenhouse effect. A turbine extracts energy from the hot air rising up the chimney. An investigation of the requirements and operation of such turbines is needed. Correct matching of the turbine to the plant requires the determination of the turbine operational range and other requirements. An air-standard cycle analysis is extended to include component and system losses. Simple steady-state and transient collector models are added to take into account the coupling effect of the collector air temperature rise and mass flow rate on the turbine operation. The predicted turbine operational range for a representative day shows that the expected pressure drop in a full-scale solar chimney turbine is significantly higher than has previously been predicted. A turbine design method is developed and used to design a turbine for the representative day. The methods can easily be extended to include more operating points for a full year of operation. A turbine layout is suggested that uses the chimney support pillars as inlet guide vanes (IGVs). These introduce pre-whirl to the turbine and reduce the amount of exit whirl thus decreasing the kinetic energy at the turbine exit. Non-radial inlet guide vanes add to the torsional stiffness of the chimney base. A matrix throughflow method is used to design the radial to axial duct between the IGVs and rotor. The turbine blade profiles are simulated using a surface-vortex method. This is coupled to an optimisation scheme that minimises both the chord length and maximum flow velocity of the profile to reduce blade drag. An experimental program investigates the performance of the turbine. Volume flow, pressure drop, torque and speed are measured on a scale model turbine to map the turbine performance over a wide range. The velocity and pressure profiles are measured at two design points to investigate the flow through the turbine in more detail. These are compared to the design predictions and used to improve the design method. The experiments show that the design of a solar chimney turbine with a total-to-total efficiency of 85 % - 90 % and total-to-static efficiency of 75 % - 80 % is possible. Analysis of the experimental results shows that the turbine efficiency can be improved.

A novel and original category of low-cost static solar-daylighting-collectors named Keywo solar energy, solar collectors, daylighting systems, nonimaging optics, Refractive Integrated Nonimaging Solar Collectors (RINSC) has been designed and thoroughly tested. The RINSC category is based on nonimaging optics and integrates several optical elements, such as prismatic arrays and light guides, into a single-structured embodiment made of solid-dielectric material. The RINSC category is sub-divided in this thesis into four distinctive and original sub-categories/systems: Prismatic Solar Collectors (PSC), Multi-Prismatic Solar Collectors (MPSC), Integrated Multi-Prismatic Solar Collectors (IMPSC) and Vertically Integrated Nonimaging Solar Collectors (VINSC). The optical configuration and compact embodiment of these systems allows them to be integrated into a building façade without creating any protrusion, indicating that they can lead to solar collector systems with high building integration potential. Laboratory and outdoor experimental tests conducted with a series of demonstration prototypes made of clear polymethyl-methacrylate (PMMA) and manufactured by laser ablation process, yield peak transmission efficiencies TE varying from 2% to 8%. Computer simulations indicated that transmission efficiencies TE > 30% are possible. The design and development of the innovative optical systems introduced in this thesis were backed-up with extensive computer ray-tracing analysis, rapid-prototyping, laboratory and outdoor experimental tests. Injection moulding computer simulations and surface analysis concerning the development of the RINSC systems were also conducted. Basic theory and comprehensive literature review are presented. This research has also resulted in the design and prototyping of a novel optical instrumentation named Angular Distribution Imaging Device (ADID), specially developed to analyse the spatial distribution of light emerging from the exit aperture of solar collectors/concentrators. The systems and knowledge described in this thesis may find application in areas such as solar collector systems to harvest sunlight for natural illumination in buildings, solar-photovoltaic and solar-thermal.

The industry sector accounts for a high share of the final energy consumption, with industries in EU-28accounting for a quarter of the final energy demand. Studies also show that 45 % of the industrial heatdemand in EU-27 is in a temperature range that can be supplied with present day solar collectors. Despitethis large potential, solar heat faces obstacles hindering its growth in the industrial sector. The mostsignificant obstacle is the low insight of the industrial system designs and energy demands. Those arecrucial factors for the feasibility and dimensioning of solar heating systems. Three case studies aretherefore conducted in dairy and pharmaceutical plants in order to review the most promising integrationpoints for parabolic trough solar collectors in terms of annual heat demand, temperature level andintegration effort. Two case studies are performed in dairy plants and one in a pharmaceutical plant, alllocated in Sweden. The analyses comprised reviewing energy mappings, process and instrumentationdiagrams of processes and boiler systems, and hourly energy demand data. Simulations have beencarried out with Polysun for the processes with hourly energy data available.Four integration points have been determined to be high priority solar heat integration points in dairyplants, when considering annual thermal energy demand, temperature levels and integration effort.Those are the low pressure steam line, heating of feedwater, clean in place systems and pasteurizers.Solar heat integration concepts have been presented for all the aforementioned heat sinks andsimulations have been conducted for the low pressure steam line and heating of feedwater. A significantamount of excess heat is produced as a result of fluctuating heat demands and peak solar heat productionhours. Further investigation should be carried out, in order to review the potential of supplying excessheat to other heat sinks. Despite the reviewed potential of the clean in place systems and pasteurizers,lack of the hourly energy demand has hindered further analyses of those systems. It is thereforerecommended to conduct energy measurements before taking further measures.Two integration points have been identified in the pharmaceutical plant, namely autoclaves andmultiple-effect distillers. Solar steam generation concepts have been presented for both processes. Theautoclaves are provided with 4,5 bar steam intermittently, as they work with batches and can have ondutyand off-duty intervals ranging from 3-30 minutes. The multiple-effect distillers are providedwith 7 bar steam, which is of rather high pressure for the solar collectors model on which thesimulations are based. The heat demand of the distillers is more or less constant.It was generally easier to acquire data for the integration points at the supply level. For instance, all heatsinks at the supply level had energy demand data available, contrary to the process level. This inclinesadditional focus on integration to the supply level, if the extent of the feasibility study is to be kept to aminimum.

O sistema capitalista fundado na produção e consumo de bens em escala globalizada trouxe como resultado uma geração de resíduos sólidos urbanos incompatível com a sustentabilidade da vida na Terra. A reciclagem de resíduos sólidos urbanos tem sido uma maneira de minimizar os efeitos negativos desse processo. No Brasil, os catadores de material reciclável são atores reconhecidos social e economicamente como fundamentais para a efetivação da reciclagem. São poucos os estudos sobre a saúde dos catadores e os riscos à saúde a que estão expostos em sua rotina de trabalho. Este estudo buscou identificar possíveis riscos à saúde de catadores em ambientes de trabalho de três cooperativas de reciclagem da área metropolitana da cidade de São Paulo relacionados ao contato com poluição atmosférica na forma de fungos e metais tóxicos, que pudessem levar ao adoecimento a partir da exposição pela via respiratória ou por contato dérmico. Foram aplicados questionários semiestruturados em uma amostra de catadores em três cooperativas da área metropolitana de São Paulo, no intuito de produzir um perfil sociodemográfico desses sujeitos, bem como identificar possíveis exposições e morbidade referida. Foi realizada coleta do ar e de poeira depositada para avaliar a exposição ocupacional a fungos e metais nas cooperativas estudadas. As amostras foram retiradas em pontos fixos de diferentes ambientes de trabalho: balança, bobcat, sala de resíduos eletroeletrônicos, esteira de triagem, prensa, escritório, e refeitório. Como resultado o estudo identificou uma população na faixa etária dos 40 anos, com escolaridade de nível básico e maior participação de mulheres. As doenças mais referidas foram as relacionadas ao sistema respiratório e doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (DCNT). O estudo identificou valores de fungos, mínimos de 116 UFC/m3 monitorados no escritório e máximos de 751 UFC/m3 monitorado na esteira. Os fungos isolados, em ordem decrescente de frequência, foram: Aspergillus spp.(24,0 %); Penicillium spp. (23,0%); Fusarium spp. (21,0%); Cladosporium spp. (19,0%); Rhizopus spp. (11,0%), Nigrospora spp. (2,0 %); Mucor spp.(0,2%) e Fungos não esporulados (0,1%). Foram identificados baixos valores de metais tóxicos no ar (Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb) e em material particulado depositado no solo (Al, As, Ag, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, Zn). Estes resultados indicam maior risco à saúde relacionada a presença de fungos no ar ambiente e com pequeno ou nenhum risco à saúde devido a presença de metais tóxicos no ambiente nas três cooperativas estudadas. Considera-se importante o monitoramento desse tipo de trabalho, considerando-se que a literatura internacional menciona risco de contaminação e a literatura nacional reconhece a fragilidade dos catadores de material reciclável em relação à saúde, dada sua situação de vulnerabilidade social / The capitalist system based on production and consumption of goods in global scale has brought a generation of municipal solid waste incompatible with the sustainability of life on Earth. The recycling of municipal solid waste has been a way to minimize the negative effects of this process. In Brazil, waste collectors are recognized as economic and social actors fundamental to the effectiveness of recycling. There are few studies on the health of waste collectors and the possible health risks present in their daily work routine. This study aimed to identify possible health risks for waste collectors in their work environment in three recycling cooperatives in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, related to atmospheric air pollution in the form of fungi and toxic metals, which could lead to illness from exposure through respiratory or dermal contact pathways. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to waste collectors from three cooperatives in the metropolitan area of São Paulo, in order to produce a demographic profile of these subjects, and identify potential exposures and referred morbidity. Air and soil deposited dust samples were collected to evaluate occupational exposure to fungi and metals in the studied cooperatives. Samples were taken at fixed sites of different working environments: balance, bobcat, electronics waste room, treadmill, press, office and cafeteria. The study identified a population aged 40 years with basic level of education and greater participation of women. The most frequent diseases were related to the respiratory system and chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The study identified fungi values ranging from 116 CFU/m3 monitored in the office to 751 CFU/m3 monitored on the treadmill. The isolated fungi in descending order of frequency were: Aspergillus spp. (24.0%); Penicillium spp. (23.0%); Fusarium spp. (21.0%); Cladosporium spp. (19.0%); Rhizopus spp. (11.0%), Nigrospora spp. (2.0%); Mucor spp. (0.2%) and non-sporulating fungi (0.1%). Low levels of toxic metal were identified in the air (Al, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb) and in the deposited particulate matter in the soil (Al, As, Ag, Ba, Cd, Cr , Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, Zn). These results indicate a greater health risk related to fungi and small or no risk associated to the presence of toxic metals in the three cooperatives studied. It is important to monitor this type of work, considering that the international literature mentions potential risks of contamination and the national literature recognizes the fragility of waste collectors in relation to health, given their situation of social vulnerability