Is laser printer toner dangerous?
Photocopier/Laser Printer Toners -Irritant, Flammable Although dry and liquid toners for photocopy machines and laser printers contain chemicals such as carbon black and resins that have the potential to harm at high concentration, they are normally contained and do not represent a significant hazard. Prolonged exposure to toner powder or vapors may cause eye and/or respiratory irritation and should be avoided. Having disposable gloves available may be a good precaution when handling the toner cartridges. Also, it is important to remember to turn off the power supply or unplug the machine when anyone is servicing the equipment. Many photocopy machines and laser printers produce small quantities of ozone as a by-product of the copying process. This toxic gas, which has a pungent sweet odor, can irritate the eyes, nose and/or throat. Check with the manufacturer to see if your photocopier or laser printer is equipped with an ozone filter. The best protection when using copy machine or las
While working within the printer division at Adobe, this was a real concern that was addressed. The answer concurs with what was above. In the development wing, there were dozens of laser printers spewing out pages constantly. While the ventillation system was spec’ed to exchange a huge amount of air, you wouldn’t believe how often workstation monitors required cleaning. I think the worst issue, honestly, was a preponderance of boogers.
