Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Your Laser Printer May Pollute Your Air

Lexmark E120N Laser Printer
One-third of printers studied emitted toner particles, a report in Environmental Science and Technology found. These particles could be potentially harmful to your health. Some printers give off as much pollution as a burning cigarette. These particles are a problem because they are so small they are inhaled deep into the lungs. Depending on how well ventilated the area is, these particles can stay in the air from a few minutes to a few hours. The best way to deal with this issue is to make sure the printer is in a well ventilated area. Try to keep the printer in a separate location than your workspace. The closer you are to the printer, the higher the concentration of the particles. If you don’t need to print something—don’t. Not only will you save some trees, you may save your lungs!

Creative Commons License photo credit: Sir Adavis

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