LIKE SECOND-HAND SMOKE: Indoor air pollution levels increase 5-fold with the machines
JANE KAY
Province
— Scripps Howard
If you work near certain models of laser printers, you might be breathing the same amount of ultra-fine particle pollution as if a smoker were puffing away in the next cubicle, according to a study by Australian scientists.
In one of the first studies of laser printers in a work setting, researchers found that some models are sources of ultrafine particles that contribute to indoor air pollution. Breathing tiny particles can cause respiratory irritation and more severe illnesses such as heart disease and cancer.
Almost half of the laser printers tested in the study emitted tiny particles of toner-like material, sending out concentrations ranging from low to high, according to the study findings published online yesterday for the American Chemical Society’s journal Environmental Science and Technology.
The worst printers released amounts of ultra-fine particles rivalling plumes of second-hand smoke. When inhaled, the particles — tiny flecks between 100 and 1,000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair — can work their way deep into the lungs, leading to heart and lung disease, scientists say.
Laser printers in the study were manufactured by Hewlett-Packard, Toshiba, Ricoh and Canon. All use toner, a powder, instead of ink.
Neither the state nor federal governments regulate indoor air pollution, even though most people spend about 90 per cent of their lives inside buildings.
“If a printer operates in an indoor environment, the concentration of ultrafine particles would be of the same order of magnitude as if there was secondhand smoke in a similar environment,” said author Lidia Morawska, director of the International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health at Queensland University of Technology in an interview from Brisbane.
“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.”
A worker’s exposure level depends on the effectiveness of the building’s ventilation. The study also found that during work hours, printer use caused indoor air pollution to increase fivefold.
Study results imply that “concentration levels in an office can be reduced by a proper choice of printers,” Morawska said.
Some printer manufacturers responded that their products meet safety and health requirements. HP officials, for example, said they are reviewing the study and have been conducting their own tests.
