re toner hazards (was Re: Conductive Dust Bunnies)

[Daniel R. Levy]

In article <321 at cbnewsi.ATT.COM>, fiesta at cbnewsi.ATT.COM (eric.c.beck) writes:
< > photocopier. If you want to know how much toner they throw into the 
< > atmosphere, look at the walls and carpet or your photocopier room. Black 
< > lung disease an occupational health problem in the reprographics dept?
< 
< 	A copier tech once told me that the toner could be absorbed into
< the body through the skin (!?) afterwhich it would collect in the kidneys
< and cause "permanent" damage (e.g. clog them up).  Anybody else ever here
< of this??

I've cross posted to sci.med in hopes of getting a reply.  As for my $0.02,
there's a guy in my group who has a son in the photocopier repair business,
and he tells me that airborne toner can be absorbed through the lungs and
work its way OUT through the skin.  He says he's not pulling my leg.
(Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure.....)
-- 
Daniel R. Levy             UNIX(R) mail:  att!ttbcad!levy, att!cbnewsc!levy
AT&T Bell Laboratories
5555 West Touhy Avenue     Any opinions expressed in the message above are
Skokie, Illinois  60077    mine, and not necessarily AT&T's.