Hey guys, I have a 54" versacamm in my home based business and was wondering, How harmful are the inks to your health on a realistic scale if the printer doesn't run for hours at a time like most? My machine runs through cleaning cycles daily but is in printing action maybe 4 hours a week tops.
I usually print the jobs, let them sit out in my outside shed to dry for a day, bring them in to laminate and contour cut then ship or deliver them.
I know that Roland says no venting is needed but i have a small air purifier with a HEPA & charcoal filter i put on high when printing and for the most part i only smell the inks sometimes and get alittle light headed (not much) due to the small space it's in on high coverage jobs.
I guess it's like anything else, too much of something is bad. I know alot of people have these in their homes and would like to hear your comments.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Re: How harmful is eco-sol inks really?
Just a bit of info:
Bad Reputation
Solvents have received a lot of bad press recently. However, the fact remains that there are equally as many "safe" aggressive solvents as there are toxic mild solvents. In addition, many commonly held myths about solvents confuse the issue: "If it don’t smell, then it is safe," and "The more aggressive a solvent, the more poisonous it is." For instance, dipropylene glycol monomethyl ether is a commonly used material in many low-odor mild-solvent inks with an exposure limit set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health agency at 100 parts per million in the work place. Compare this to some of the lactates used by aggressive-ink manufacturers that actually are food additives, are easily metabolized and have no set exposure limits.
Before using any ink, request a Material Safety Data Sheet from the supplier. By law, a supplier must provide this. A well-written MSDS provides specific information about exposure limits and ventilation-extraction requirements. It also should list the components in the ink, along with the Chemical Abstracts Service number of each item. A quick Web search using the CAS numbers will provide you with a wealth of health and safety information. Good resources also include OSHA and the Environmental Protection Agency sites at osha.gov and epa.org.
Once you’re aware of the safe exposure limit for the ink you are using, don’t ignore this. If it’s recommended for use in a well-ventilated area or that fumes be extracted, then do it. The health effects of exposure to more noxious solvents, such as ketones, may not be immediately apparent, and long-term exposure may be harmful. One such problem appears when a person becomes sensitized and symptoms such as nausea, headaches and skin rashes occur. As long as simple ground rules are observed, solvent inkjet printing is a safe and environmentally sound process.
Time for a bit more research.
Re: How harmful is eco-sol inks really?
Eco-solvent ink is not convincingly ecological or green
But yes, eco-solvent ink is not as nasty as full solvent ink. But the claim that no ventilation is needed for eco-solvent ink is arguable and potentially actionable too. It is debatable whether manufactures claims about their eco-solvent printers not needing ventilation are realistic.
Afterall there are still chemical solvents in the product that I would not want to be exposed to in a non-ventilated room.
So my conclusion is:
Harmful if not properly vented.
Angel Ochoa
Jetbest USA
818 287 5899