Some Laser Printer Emissions Comparable to Smoking

Some Laser Printer Emissions Comparable to Smoking



Aug. 2007  - Some laser printers 
used in offices and homes release tiny particles into the air that people 
can inhale deep into lungs where they may pose a health hazard, Australian 
scientists said today. 
One of the 62 printers studied released particles at a rate comparable to 
the emissions from cigarette smoking, the researchers report. 
The study included popular models in the United States and Australia sold 
internationally under the Canon, HP Color Laserjet, Ricoh and Toshiba 
brand names. 
Environmental physicist Lidia Morawska, PhD, and colleagues the Queensland 
University of Technology in Brisbane classified 17 out of 62 printers in 
the study as "high particle emitters" because they released such elevated 
quantities of particles.

A total of 12 models of Hewlett Packard printers and one Toshiba printer 
are listed as high emitters of tiny particles. 
Two printers released medium levels of particles, six emitted low levels, 
and 37 of the printers tested released no particles at all. 
The researchers believe the particles to be toner, the ultrafine powder 
used in laser printers to form text and images instead of ink. 
All printers were monitored in an open office. The study did not consider 
variables such as printer age or cartridge type, leading to variations 
even among printers of the same model. For instance, the scientists found 
one HP LaserJet 5 to be a high emitter, while another was a non-emitter. 
Most of the printer-generated particles detected were ultrafine, Dr. 
Morawska said, explaining that such contaminants are easily inhaled into 
the smallest passageways of the lungs where they could pose "a significant 
health threat." 

Previous studies have focused on emissions of volatile organic compounds, 
ozone, and toner particles from office printers and copiers. But the 
research has left broad gaps in scientific understanding of particle 
emissions and airborne concentrations of particles, the report notes. 
Morawska and colleagues did not set out to close that knowledge gap. 
"It wasn’t an area that we consciously decided to study," Morawska said. 
"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." 
The study found that indoor particle levels in the office air increased 
fivefold during work hours due to printer use. 
Printers emitted more particles when operating with new toner cartridges 
and when printing graphics and images that require greater quantities of 
toner. 
Funded by Queensland Department of Public Works and The Cooperative 
Research Centre for Construction Innovation, the report includes a list of 
the brands and models in the study classified by amount of particles 
emitted. 
The study offered no definitive proof of harm, and has concluded that more 
research into the health effects of printer emissions is needed. 
Still, the scientists are calling on government officials to consider 
regulating emission levels from laser printers.
 
"By all means, this is an important indoor source of pollution," Morawska 
said. "There should be regulations." 
The health effects from inhaled ultrafine particles depend on particle 
composition, but the results can range from respiratory irritation to more 
severe illnesses, such as cardiovascular problems or cancer, Morawska 
said. 
"Even very small concentrations can be related to health hazards," she 
said. "Where the concentrations are significantly elevated means there is 
potentially a considerable hazard." 
Larger particles also could be unhealthy without reaching the deepest 
parts of the lung. "Because they are larger," Morawska added, "they 
contain more mass and can carry more toxins into the body. No matter how 
you look at it, there could be problems." 
To lower risk, people should ensure that rooms in offices or houses are 
well ventilated to allow airborne particles to disperse. 
This study is published in the August 1 online issue of the American 
Chemical Society’s journal "Environmental Science & Technology." 

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