This ongoing project helps in the development of technical data needed in the formation of codes, regulations and rules affecting U.S. cotton industry operations and products.

For example, this information has been helpful toward: 1) favorable fire and building codes’ amendments governing cotton bale storage; 2) workable flammability standards being developed for mattresses/filled bed products and upholstered furniture, 3) retaining cotton beneficial amendments to the Children's Sleepwear Flammability Standard; 4) reasonable air emission standards for vegetable oil extraction; 5) addressing potential regulations on hexane, dioxin, lead and oilseed processing products; 6) assisting EPA to regulate vegetable oil differently than petroleum oil in spill prevention regulations; and 7) avoiding unworkable cotton dust regulations involving particulate matter (PM) emissions from cotton gins.

Texas A&M researchers are trying to develop an EPA-sanctioned process that will result in correction of "over estimation" of PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations of agricultural PM emitted by agricultural operations.

The scientists have been able to demonstrate to EPA the errors in sampling agricultural dusts with EPA approved samplers. The samplers do not perform the same when exposed to “real world” PM that includes a wide range of particle sizes as they do in the EPA evaluations where they are exposed to mono-disperse particles (all the same size).

The researchers have designed and are completing construction on a wind tunnel to allow accurate control and measurement of PM concentration and particle size distribution with poly-disperse particles. Isokinetic samplers will allow greater accuracy in quantifying the true PM concentration. They plan to acquire a Malvern Mastersizer 2000 Particle Size Analyzer, which will add greater accuracy to their evaluation of sampler performance and shifting cut-point associated with particle size distribution.