HP to Researchers: Our Printers Are Safe

Fri Aug 3, 2007 12:49PM EDT

See Comments (78)

In the wake of the report, released earlier this week, that expresses grave concerns over the safety of laser printers and ultrafine particulate matter they might be releasing into the air, HP is striking back. Today I received the company's official (and, I have to say, scathing) response to the matter: "HP does not agree with [the study's] conclusion or some of the bold claims the authors have made."

HP doesn't really claim that its printers don't release ultrafine particles (though it's important to note that the study showed that many HP printers didn't release any emissions at all), saying that they are "consistently below recognized occupational exposure limits."

Rather, HP is taking issue with the notion that these emissions are dangerous. Here's what HP says: "There are no indications that ultrafine particle (UFP) emissions from laser printing systems are associated with special health risks. Currently, the nature and chemical composition of such particles—whether from a laser printer or from a toaster—cannot be accurately characterized by analytical technology."

HP agrees more testing is needed and is working with independent testing group Air Quality Sciences in the U.S. and a similar group in Germany. As well, the company says that HP products meet all current health and safety guidelines for office equipment.

So there you have it. HP says the printers are safe. Australia says they aren't. Who's right? Stay tuned, as I'm sure this argument is about to get really nasty...

You can find the entire text of HP's rebuttal here. 

Comments on HP to Researchers: Our Printers Are Safe

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  • 66 Posted by rtarias1955 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    HP is not the problem, we gear our companies overseas were the laws are flex this creating the cycle of return, trash in trash out.

  • 67 Posted by clint_stevens@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:27PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is the same method used by cigarette companies to claim that smoking does not cause cancer. That is right - SMOKING DOES NOT CAUSE CANCER! The basic idea here is that some people who smoke can get cancer and there are many who smoke their whole lives without ever getting it. So, cigarette companies have fought the claims that smoking is carcinogenic by stating that smoking does not cause cancer. They are right because there is no conclusive proof. HOWEVER, anyone with have a brain knows that smoking and these particles contribute to the development of cancer. Do not be fooled by tricky words from Microsoft or cigarette companies. These particles are dangerous to your health.

  • 68 Posted by cabra_bom_da_peste on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    So many hysterics here and a convenient ignoring of facts. At this moment in time, HP printers are in compliance with current safety standards. The question is whether or not current safety standards are appropriate. The good thing is that they appear to be looking into the matter. I'm not a scientist, I'm an accountant. As long as the scientists are truly looking into this, I'll stay out of the way. With the potential liabilities involved here, HP and their ilk cannot afford to put their collective heads in the sand and merely hope that this will go away.

  • 69 Posted by sargebehr@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:04PM EDT Report Abuse

    I use a Samsung ML2010 - where does it rank? I'm well-satisfied with its overall results - but should I maybe have better ventilation in the room it's used in? I use it almost daily - sometimes much more than once - it's about 5 feet away from my computer and where I sit, next to a window.

  • 70 Posted by boppee7 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:11PM EDT Report Abuse

    I work in a small cubicle with two huge HP printers. I print perhaps a ream or two of paper every night but once a week I print a job with thousands of pages, duplexed. With both printers going, and 6 feet away from a copier. The heat takes a long time to disapate so I am sure the emissions are right there along with me and the heat. Does anyone know about the HP9000 and HP9050. Scary thing I have been having serious breathing problems the last few months.

  • 71 Posted by rayandkim@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Until the late 1970s Car brake linings used to made of asbestos; for decades the atmoshpere around roadways was contaminated with asbestos particulate whenever someone stepped on the brake peddle. Mesothelioma (the cancer caused by asbestos exposure was not widesperead it mainly affected people working in factories or mines that were exposed to high concentrations of asbestos. I don't think that the particulate from printers represents a significant health hazard that can be compared to smoking.

  • 72 Posted by mcsb@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    This article did not express anything clearly. It was just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. Are all printers a risk or just some? Which ones are worst than others? What models are causing the most concern? Answer that.

  • 73 Posted by wpmarshall@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    Any tiny particulate matter can be dangerous if inhaled. But toner is especially dangerous because it coats everything and stays there. Think about it coating your lungs!

  • 74 Posted by a1copyfixer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    boppee7: I can tell you what is going on. I've been fixing copiers/printers professionally for nearly 18 years. You are probably suffering from exposure to ozone emissions and silicone oxidation from the copier and printers. If the area you are working in is getting too hot from the running of these machines, obviously the ventilation is not adequate for this area. Ozone emissions are well known to ----- aches, shortness of breath, and lung irration. Report your situation to human resouces. Your employer either needs to relocate your workspace or improve ventilation. I have repaired machines in copy centers running 180k copies per hour. These places are well ventilated. I do not notice excessive heat or poor air quality. I have had to work on copiers in small copy room, no ventilation to speak of. You definitely notice the ozone in those rooms. Quite often I will leave with a headache repairing with low ventilation. BTW some machines claim to have ozone filters, yeah right, they are nothing but pieces of carbon filters which don't do anything.

  • 75 Posted by wmkhall@snet.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    You get more crap in your lungs driving to work than you do from a laser printer. This is like the studies where they give a mouse 100 times the amount of whatever substance a human would ingest in a lifetime and then claim the substance causes cancer. This is just another LIB attempt at scaring the public and badmouthing big business...

  • 76 Posted by khc410 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    The humans lungs have mechanisms (fine brushes called cilia) to dispel fine particles. In the case of cigarette smoke, nicotine and carbon monoxide paralyzes the cilia and prevent the cleaning mechanism from doing its job. There is little evidence thus far that the toner particles at these cencentrations can actually be lodged deeply in the lungs. The burden of proof is on the Australian scientists.

  • 77 Posted by rlaboucane on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    Khc, do not forget that the effects of toner particles falls outside the scope of the Asutralian scientists study. They merealy mentioned the small particles *can* (as opposed to *will*) cause damage. And yes, the human body has lots of mechanisms, like to fight off invading virii or bacteria.... that doesn't necessarily imply immunity to infections, does it?

  • 78 Posted by esopp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:56PM EDT Report Abuse

    Don't eat vegeatbles or meat, do not drink water, and especially do not breathe air as they all contain various poisons. If you follow this advice you will not have to worry about whether HP and those other evil printer manfuacturers are trying to kill you

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