You will interact with toner cartridges if you run a printing firm or a busy office. Handling them is never a complicated undertaking. But have you posed and asked yourself about any health implications they present?
You might not have thought about those concerns unless you have had an accidental spill. If you have been thinking about your safety lately, then this article is a must-read for you. We review the health implications and answer common questions along the way.
What is a Toner Cartridge?
Laser printers use toner cartridges for printing. Toner is fine plastic powder melted on the paper during printing. Toner is available in four colors; Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black. Most people shorten it to CMYK. In different ratios, these four colors can bring any color shades required.
Toner is contained in a container, now referred to as a toner cartridge. Sometimes the cartridge contains only the toner insider. Others come with a photosensitive drum. Whether the toner cartridge has a photosensitive drum depends on the kind of printer.
Let’s now discuss the health implications of a toner cartridge:
Is Printer Toner Toxic When Inhaled?
If you accidentally dropped a cartridge on the floor, the toner inside may leak out. Toner is a fine powder that can get airborne. Think of it as dust. This means that you can potentially inhale the toner in the atmosphere.
And the next question is: is it toxic to inhale?
Studies have been done to determine the toxicity of toners when inhaled. These studies were done on rats. These studies apply to humans and reveal the impact toner could have on people. One study exposed rats to low amounts of toner to inhale. This did not result in any adverse effects on them. Large amounts of toner were found to irritate the rats’ lungs.
The amount that caused irritation was sizeable. In practice, no one can get in contact with a toner of that volume while working in regular offices. The researchers did not find any other adverse impacts other than the irritation. The study thus concluded that the risk of toxicity from toner is low.
Is Toner Harmful to Your Skin and Eyes?
Printer toner is not toxic when inhaled, but it presents other health concerns. It might get in contact with the eyes or sometimes on the skin. There is not much trouble when they get in contact with the skin. It can only cause mild irritation. Nothing happens sometimes, and you only see some black spots on the skin. All you need to do is wash it with soap and running water thoroughly.
Be careful not to touch your mouth with toner in your hands as you might potentially swallow them. That is why it’s advisable to clean your hands after replacing toner cartridges on your printer.
It may cause irritation when it gets into your eyes. The irritation is temporary. You can wash your eyes with clean water and monitor for a few minutes. Visit an eye clinic if the irritation persists. The issue will be resolved quickly, and there is no need to panic.
Can Toner Cause Cancer?
It’s also important to think about the long-term implications of contact with the toner. Immediate health implications are not severe. With that mentioned, some sections still wonder whether it can cause cancer in the long run.
It’s a reasonable concern as many chemicals cause cancer after years of exposure. Fortunately, printer toner is not categorized under carcinogens. Carcinogens refer to a group of chemicals that have been found to cause cancer. No studies have so far linked printer toner and any form of cancer. Effects from toner are usually mild, and there are no chronic illnesses linked to it. ; ;
Risk of Burns
Laser printers rely on melting the toner on a piece of paper. This is done over high temperatures. You risk burning yourself if you open your printer immediately after printing. Printers heat up within seconds. This duration is known as a warm-up period.
Do not replace your cartridges immediately after printing your last copy. Leaving it for 30 minutes would serve you better.
The exceptions are those printers that have an independent drum unit. Toner cartridges for this printer type only come with toner inside. The harm from this type is virtually low. You can remove the toner just seconds after the last print. Only make sure to switch off the printer first.
How to Best Handle Toner Cartridges
Even if the risk from toner cartridges is low, you still need to handle them with care. Using them properly would help you avoid losses from damages. It also ensures that you have a fulfilling printing experience. Correct use also prevents those mild health implications it could cause.
Well, here are the handling best practices:
1. Wear Gloves while Changing Toner Cartridges
As you already know, printer toner may irritate the skin and eyes. Wearing gloves while changing them will prevent contact with the skin. It also eliminates the risk of touching your eyes with toner.
2. Do not Change Toner Cartridges Immediately After a Print Job
Laser printers heat up while printing. Its mechanism of printing relies on melting the toner into the paper. Some sections of the printer could get hot after a printing job. You stand a risk of burns if you open the printer immediately. Also, avoid changing the toner cartridges before the printer cools down.
3. Work in a Ventilated Room
Printers could produce dust while printing. As toner gets heated, some of them may escape into the atmosphere. It could get messy if your working station is not ventilated. With good ventilation, the dust can quickly get out with no harm.
Another reason you need to work on ventilated rooms is to eliminate the risk of carbon monoxide. Printers emit carbon dioxide while heating up. They emit carbon monoxide in poorly ventilated environments. That is why you need to always print in ventilated rooms, especially when you have more printing jobs. Carbon monoxide increases the pulse rate and causes headaches. This could be a fatal gas.
4. Avoid Leaving Toner Cartridges on the Edge of the Table
Toner cartridges could cause a mess when they fall off the table. The shock may damage the cartridge, causing toner leaks. The impact from the ground may also get the toner airborne. This would increase the chances of inhalation.
It’s also not advisable to open the toner cartridges until when you want to install them on the computer. Opening the seals increases the chances of toner leaking. Also, ensure that it is in their original boxes. These precautions reduce the risk of unnecessarily messing with the toner.
Concluzie
Printer toner does not cause serious health implications. It could only cause mild irritations. This occurs when it gets in contact with the skin, eyes, or when inhaled. The risks can be eliminated by handing the toner cartridge and printer the right way.
We are a compatible toner manufacturer in China. We focus on different types and supply them in bulk. Our customers are toner cartridge retailing, those running printing businesses, and offices. You can always talk to us if your business requires toner cartridges. We are ready to send you a sample to help you make that decision.