Laser printer: health risk or not?
Laser printers are often used not only in the office, but also at home. In this practical tip, we try to clarify whether a laser printer is harmful to health or not.
Does a laser printer harm your health?
For years there has been fierce debate over whether laser printers pose a health risk and, if so, how high it is. Unfortunately, we cannot give you a clear answer to this question either. There are now numerous studies on this topic, but they often contradict each other.
- Basically, the following statement can be made: It is an indisputable fact that laser toners contain toxic heavy metals.
- It is also clear that laser printers emit ultrafine particles and gases. How these ultimately affect health is controversial.
- For example, during the pathological examination of a service technician who died of lung cancer, toner particles were detected in the lungs. However, it was ultimately not possible to determine with certainty whether the toner particles were the cause of the man's death.
- Nevertheless, the citizens' initiative nano-Control - on whose behalf the study mentioned above was carried out - assumes that in Germany alone numerous people already suffer from complaints, such as headaches or asthma, which are caused by the inhalation of the emissions emitted by laser printers should.
- A study by the Institute for Environmental Medicine at the University Hospital Freiburg also showed that the toner particles can cause damage to the lungs.
- So far, however, there is no evidence that illnesses in humans can actually be attributed to laser printers. However, the concrete evidence, for example in the case of a headache, is also a very difficult undertaking.
- However, there are also studies that come to a completely different result. These state that the health risk is marginal and not higher than if you live on a very busy street, for example.
- In short: How high the risk is in the end is a matter of opinion.
Minimize potential health risks from laser printers
Since no one has yet been able to give the all-clear, you should take appropriate precautions in your own interest.
- The most effective measure is surely to banish the laser printer to a separate room, if the possibility exists.
- If a laser printer cannot be avoided at your work place, you should place it as far as possible from your work place. The closer the laser printer is to the window, the better.
- Also, always ensure good ventilation.
If you are less concerned about your own health than that of your laser printer, we will tell you in the next practical tip how you can clean your laser printer.