Zinc dust and zinc ash from hot-dip galvanizing industries located in Venezuela were characterized using atomic spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-Ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Dust was formed during the high-pressure drying process of the galvanized pieces, in a plant that uses a steel kettle to hold the molten zinc. Ash identified as "A" came from the same plant as the dust, while ash identified as "B" came from a hot-dip galvanizing plant which use a ceramic lined galvanizing furnace. Dust contained 98 wt % Zn, in metallic form. Both ash samples contained: Zn and ZnO, while Zn 5 (OH) 8 Cl 2 ×H 2 O and ZnCl 2 were only found in ash "B". Globally, ash "A" and ash "B" contain 71 and 75 wt % Zn, respectively.