In the age of personal computers and the internet, living without a printer can be challenging indeed. But if you have a laser printer, you might want to think again before hitting the “Print” button. In a research study in the American Chemical Society’s Environmental Science & Technology, researchers found that some laser printers release tiny particles of toner-like material into the air; these ultrafine particles are particularly dangerous because of their microscopic size, allowing them to be inhaled into the smallest passageways of the lungs. Lida Morawska, PhD, and her colleagues in Australia classified 17 out of 62 printers as “high particle emitters.” The scientists state that “One of the printers released particles into an experimental chamber at a rate comparable to the particle emissions from cigarette smoking.” The particles are believed to be excess toner not fused onto the paper.
Fortunately, the majority of printers aren’t as bad as the one cited above. Thirty-seven of the sixty-two released no particles that diminished air quality, while six only released low levels, and two released medium levels. The study was conducted both in a typical office environment, as well as in an experimental chamber, and included popular models from Canon, HP, Ricoh, and Toshiba. “It wasn’t an area we consciously decided to study,” Morawska said in an interview. “We came across it by chance. Initially we were studying the efficiency of ventilation systems to protect office settings from outdoor air pollutants. We soon realized that we were seeing air pollution originating indoors, from laser printers.” During work hours, indoor particle levels in the office air increased as much as five times. Scientists are now calling upon the government to consider regulating emission levels from laser printers.
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Fortunately, the majority of printers aren’t as bad as the one cited above. Thirty-seven of the sixty-two released no particles that diminished air quality, while six only released low levels, and two released medium levels. The study was conducted both in a typical office environment, as well as in an experimental chamber, and included popular models from Canon, HP, Ricoh, and Toshiba. “It wasn’t an area we consciously decided to study,” Morawska said in an interview. “We came across it by chance. Initially we were studying the efficiency of ventilation systems to protect office settings from outdoor air pollutants. We soon realized that we were seeing air pollution originating indoors, from laser printers.” During work hours, indoor particle levels in the office air increased as much as five times. Scientists are now calling upon the government to consider regulating emission levels from laser printers.
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Those of us who actually own a laser printer would like to know which ones are bad.
I'm guessing you can find that information... tomorrow.
In environments like that not only can you taste the toner but it also makes the air drier and breathing heavier.
s the ozone produced by the laser pritners that cause all those efects. and it's why printers in work envirments should be in their own printer rooms.
I'm glad I don't print very often.
Now if i could just disable those yellow dots.
Look out! The terrorists are using laser printers to terrorize your office! Fear level six! FEAR LEVEL SIX!
I've been in the photocopier & printer business for over TWENTY FIVE YEARS. I repair them.
I'm around them day in day out. I've breathed more toner & dust in a week than most people
will in a year. I've had NO health problems, I get a complete checkup once a year. If you are
GENETICALLY predisposed to be at a greater risk for cancer, hell, just about anything will screw
you up. Hell, my grandfather went to france in WW1 in 1918 and started smoking unfiltered camel
cigarettes and continued to smoke them until 1971 when the doctor said that the surgeon general
keep poking his nose around and wanted people to quit. My grandfather died in 1991 at the age
of NINETY SEVEN with absolutely NO cancer!
I have the MSDS (materal safety data sheets) on the consumable supplies that are used in
laser printers & copiers. They have no risks, unless you put the dust from the toner in an
enclosed area and set it on fire....it might blow up (similar to a grain dust explosion).
Once again, some idiot researcher has come up with a study to back some more studies so he
can continue to suckle off of the teat of the government!
You'll get more "health risks" on a copier or printer by burning your f**king fingers on the fuser
unit, trying to remove a paper jam.
can continue to suckle off of the teat of the government!
I've been in the photocopier & printer business for over TWENTY FIVE YEARS. I repair them.
I'm around them day in day out. I've breathed more toner & dust in a week than most people
will in a year. I've had NO health problems, I get a complete checkup once a year.
Please bear in mind that this is coming from someone who claims that smoking does not increase the risk of cancer...
unfiltered camel cigarettes and continued to smoke them until 1971 when the doctor said that the surgeon
general keep poking his nose around and wanted people to quit. My grandfather died in 1991 at the age
of NINETY SEVEN with absolutely NO cancer!
He lived to 97 - big whoop! But I bet that the unhealthy lifestyle that he chose resulted in a lower quality of life. He may not have been dead, but I bet he 'aged' quicker than say, a teetotal vegetarian would. Not only would he have been at a heightened risk of cancer, but possibly also arthritis, impotence, varicose veins, brittle bones, digestive problems, tooth decay, prostate problems, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
hell, just about anything will screw you up.
If genetics were all that mattered then we'd all be drinking and smoking as much as we liked.
Those of us that actually respect for our own health will think twice before choosing to do so.
For those saying that "cigarettes don't cause cancer". I didn't say they don't "cause" cancer. What I said is that ANY carcinogenic can lead to cancer, if you are predisposed genetically for cancer.
He lived to 97 - big whoop! But I bet that the unhealthy lifestyle that he chose resulted in a lower quality of life. He may not have been dead, but I bet he 'aged' quicker than say, a teetotal vegetarian would. Not only would he have been at a heightened risk of cancer, but possibly also arthritis, impotence, varicose veins, brittle bones, digestive problems, tooth decay, prostate problems, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
http://ivory.vnunet.com/assets/binaries/pc...ide-your-pc.pdf
I should not go to the bathroom because when someone takes a **** in there the odor can cause cancer.....
you know what is scary dying of heart disease or cancer...
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/e.../es063049z.html
Not all of them emit, most of them don't.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/asap.cgi/estha...f/es063049z.pdf
Go to page 4 for the data.
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