How to effectively control and prevent the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

How to effectively control and prevent the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the furniture production process has become the key to solving the development and health dilemma of the furniture industry. Based on the VOCs emission standards and prevention policies in furniture production, this article uses big data and the Internet of Things as carriers to explore the dynamic monitoring and intelligent prevention and control of VOCs in furniture production, and proposes possible solutions for the entire industry. It also discusses the source, process, and end of my country's VOC control technology. Among them, the dynamic monitoring and intelligent prevention and control of VOCs in furniture production has important reference value for VOCs prevention and control in other industries such as coal chemical industry, rubber products, machinery, and coiled materials.
People spend about 87% of their time indoors every day, and indoor air quality directly affects human health (Wang et al., 2021). With the continuous development of economic and social development, people pay more and more attention to the beauty and visual enjoyment of furniture, which has triggered the demand for diversified and personalized furniture products, forcing furniture manufacturers to continuously explore new materials, new technologies, and new processes for furniture manufacturing innovation. However, since furniture manufacturing is inseparable from adhesives and coatings, a large amount of irritating or toxic VOC gases will be emitted during the production process, forming precursors of PM2.5 and ozone, exacerbating air pollution such as haze and photochemical smog. Therefore, effective monitoring and prevention of VOC emissions in furniture manufacturing has become an important means to solve the dilemma between the development of the furniture industry and public health (Menghi et al., 2018). With the continuous development of new generation information technologies such as big data and the Internet of Things, people have begun to explore the application of big data and the Internet of Things in the dynamic monitoring and intelligent prevention of VOC emissions in furniture manufacturing and have achieved certain results (Kaginalkarab et al., 2021). Since China surpassed the United States to become the world's largest furniture manufacturer in 2010, it has been ranked first in the world. Therefore, this article takes China as a case study and, based on historical and current logic, summarizes the evolution of VOC monitoring and prevention policies and the application of big data and Internet of Things technologies in China's furniture manufacturing, providing a scientific basis and technical support for the country to promote VOC pollution prevention and control in the furniture industry.
Governments at all levels in China have issued a series of policies on VOC emission standards, monitoring and prevention in the furniture industry (Table 1). At the national level, in September 2010, the National Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the "Technical Conditions for Dust and Smoke Control in the Furniture Industry", which for the first time put forward regulatory requirements for pollution control in the furniture manufacturing industry. However, the specification did not impose strict technical restrictions, but recommended that relevant companies implement isolation and remote control operations. In 2013, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment issued the "Technical Policy for VOC Pollution Control", and through a proposal, encouraged relevant companies to implement VOC monitoring and control on their own and develop new technologies and equipment. In 2015, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China issued the "Emission Standards for Synthetic Resin Industry", requiring relevant companies in the furniture industry to install relevant automatic monitoring equipment for various pollution sources including volatile organic compounds. On May 24, 2019, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued the "VOCs Unorganized Emission Control Standards", proposing the establishment of an online sampling and analysis system for VOC control. On May 12, 2021, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People's Republic of China issued the latest "Technical Recommendations for Pollution Prevention and Control in the Furniture Industry", which for the first time covered the use of automated and intelligent equipment and technologies such as manipulators, robots, and the Internet of Things in terms of equipment and innovative technologies, and provided recommendations and opinions for furniture production.
At the provincial level, Guangdong, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Fujian and other major furniture producing provinces have issued relevant