Priority control strategies derived from updated measurement of VOCs source profiles for plastic product industry

To address the lack of localized volatile organic compounds (VOCs) source profiles in the plastic products industry, this study measured VOCs emissions from 17 representative manufacturers in Guangdong Province, the leading plastic producer in China. A total of 114 VOCs species were identified, and source profiles for 10 production processes were established. Oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs), aromatics, and alkanes were the predominant species across various manufacturing stages. Molding and post-processing were identified as the main emission processes: OVOCs, aromatics and alkanes were dominant in molding, whereas OVOCs and aromatics were more prevalent in post-processing. The Ozone formation potential (OFP) was calculated to identify priority control species. OFP values ranged from 0.39 to 17.03 mg/m³, identifying isopropanol, toluene, and hexanal as key control species. Furthermore, emission factors were updated based on product type. This study established the first comprehensive VOC source profiles and process-specific emission factors for the plastic industry in Guangdong, providing a scientific basis for targeted emission management and pollution control strategies.