The
dust mask might not be a bad idea, because toner is composed of extremely fine
particles, and it's never good to inhale fine
particulate matter. However, the
health risk is not as great as sometimes imagined.
The Materials Safety Data Sheet from a typical laser printer cartridge (the Hewlett-Packard 4) includes the following:
Potential Health Effects:
- Ingestion effects: Ingestion is not applicable route of entry for intended use.
- Inhalation effects: Minimal respiratory tract irritation may occur with exposure to large amount of toner dust.
- Eye Effects: May cause eye irritation.
- Skin effects: Unlikely to cause skin irritation.
And...
Other Toxicity Data:
Some toners do contain
carbon black, which is classified by the
International Agency for Research on Cancer (
IARC) as a class 2B carcinogen, but it is generally considered encapsulated by the polymers that make up 90% of the toner, therefore bio-inaccessible. At a 1998
Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute symposium, Joe L. Mauderly presented a paper discussing a recent research review:
Inhalation carcinogenicity bioassays of 32 nonfibrous particles using rats have been reported. The comparison of the results of these studies is compromised by the use of differing experimental designs and exposure levels. However, of these 32, only two (copying toner and petroleum coke) were negative at the maximum tested level according to current interpretation. All of the studies included exposure levels far above anticipated human exposures; it can only be speculated whether the negative particles might have been positive at even higher levels of exposure. The response to toner was not statistically significant at the highest level...
All that being said, toner remains a fine particle
pollutant, and one that is so
pervasive in almost all workplaces that some common-sense precautions should be taken. The most important of these is
never use an ordinary vacuum cleaner on toner. It passes unimpeded through the filters on household vacuums, becoming a true airborne
nuisance. If you have a toner spill that cannot be wiped up, call a service
technician. They use vacuums with special
filters that are designed to trap toner.