Laser material processing is gaining increasing importance in micro and macro machining. During laser processing of polymers and metals dangerous air pollutants have to be considered with regard to occupational safety. Moreover, technical measures for the handling of Laser Generated Air Contaminants (LGACs) often contribute to more than 10 % of the operating costs of laser machinery. Therefore, data are required for an adequate design and scaling of emission capturing systems. An overview on the characterization, handling, and filtration of non-beam hazards during laser processing as well as a consideration of economic aspects is given. Based on these data we introduce the Laser Micropyrolysis-GC/MS as a novel method for emission prognosis. Finally, technical precaution measures for a variety of laser machining processes are evaluated.

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