Laser Printers Emit Indoor Pollution

Researchers See Potential Health Hazards If Particle Concentrations Are High

(WebMD)  Some home and office laser printers emit possibly harmful amounts of small-particle air pollution, Australian researchers find.

One of the printers gave off as much small-particle pollution as a burning cigarette, find Lidia Morawska, PhD, director of the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health at Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, and colleagues.

"By all means this is an important indoor source of pollution. There should be regulations," Morawska says in a news release.

The researchers tested 62 printers sold under the Canon, HP Color LaserJet, Ricoh, and Toshiba brand names. They measured particles given off by the printers under normal operating conditions in a large, open office setting with 22 desks. They also tested three of the printers in a closed chamber.

Seventeen of the printers emitted high levels of particles, while 37 released no particles at all. The differences were large. "Medium-emitter" printers gave off 100 times more particles than did "low-emitter" printers. "High-emitter" printers gave off 1,000 times more particles than did "low-emitter" printers.

So which printers should you avoid? It's not a simple question.

"While the printers were classified into different groups according to their emission levels, there are no obviously common features which printers in the individual groups share," Morawska tells WebMD via email. "Printers by the same manufacturer – but of different model numbers -- were both in the high- and low-emitting groups."

Under different circumstances – such as toner coverage and cartridge age –
the same printer might give off different levels of pollution. For example, the HP LaserJet 5 printer tested as a nonemitter in one test, and as a high emitter in another.

The very fine particles emitted by laser printers could be a problem, as such small particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs.

"Even very small concentrations can be related to health hazards. Where the concentrations are significantly elevated, there is potentially a considerable hazard," Morawska says.

Depending on the ventilation conditions of a room or office, the particles emitted by a laser printer can disperse in a few minutes or hand in the air for hours, Morawska says.

She advises people who use laser printers to keep their offices well ventilated. She also suggests that people not sit too close to working
printers.

"The closer to the sources – in this case the printer – the higher hazard, as the concentrations are higher," Morawska warns.

The researchers note that the complex particle-emission patterns of laser
printers is "still far from being completely understood" and that further study is needed.

The findings appear in the Aug. 1 online edition of the American Chemical
Society journal Environmental Science & Technology.

[sclaires]

I am glad to see something that I have been suspecting for years. I used to work in offices where the duplicating machine was right there for everyone to use and I would end up with bronchitis/sinus infections all the time. After I got away from there, all the problems cleared up thought it took a while. Thank goodness for this coming out in the open!!!

[weareone2]

I've long suspected that the printers in our office might be the reason that when I'm at work, my throat is hoarse by the afternoon, and I often can hardly talk by the end of the day. I have wondered what is happening to the rest of my body, especially my lungs.

[markq019]

QUOTE -
These printers may cause some deaths over time, but will be nothing compared to the carnage caused by Bush and his illegal war in Iraq.

Good enough, rushman71???
(also probably true, BTW)
Posted by cdfoxtrot at 11:11 PM : Aug 01, 2007


How can it be an illegal war if Congress voted on, and approved the war?

[prolegomena]

Great... the next Asbestos. Almost inspires one to move into a monastery. Sheesh.

[rushman71]

Gaye5: Thank you for your comment. Other than RandalDS bashing Bush or bashing God, there are other topics he talks about that I do agree with him.

[cdfoxtrot]

These printers may cause some deaths over time, but will be nothing compared to the carnage caused by Bush and his illegal war in Iraq.

Good enough, rushman71???
(also probably true, BTW)

[gaye5]

rushman71, you are so funny and so right. hehehe...
but I bet he can if he bothers to look at this one... other than the constant Bush hatred thing which gets very tiresome he has got some excellent things to say..

[rushman71]

Ok, RandalDS, any Bush-bashing for this one? Come on, I know you can do it!!! LOL