Copying Machines and Their Harmful Emissions

Hazards from copiers
Minimizing health effects from copiers

Hazards from Copying Machines

These hazards can come from breathing in the vapors, gases, and particles emitted by these machines. In addition, some of the chemicals used in photoduplication equipment (such as acrylates, styrene, and other off-gassing thermal degradation products) can cause an allergic contact dermatitis, which is a type of skin rash. Other hazards from copiers include:

• Wet process photocopy machines: These give off aliphatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and ozone. Some of the VOCs that can be emitted by these machines include isodecane, xylene, 2,2,4 trimethyl octane, alkanes, nitropyrene, phthalates, and isocyanates. These copiers are capable of emitting 25 grams of VOCs per hour so they have much greater emissions than dry process machines. Wet process copiers are not as common as the dry process ones are.

• Dry process photocopy machines: These can emit:

  • VOCs such as TCE and benzene: Emissions of VOCs range from 0.5 to 16.4 µg/sheet of paper.¹ VOCs from photocopiers make up the largest proportion of all VOCs in office air. While levels of individual chemicals given off by photocopying machines may be well below the legal limit, the mixture of all these chemicals may help cause the building-related symptoms. For example, in a study of three photocopying centers, levels of certain VOCs were as much as 100 times below established guidelines, but 54 different VOCs were measured in the general air of the copying centers and 38 VOCs were measured in the breathing zones of the workers.²

  • Particulates that can easily be inhaled: Contaminants in the exhaust air include carbon black and nitropyrenes. The concentration of carbon black in the room from the exhaust air ranges from 90 µg/m³ to 460 µg/m³.¹
    
    Of recent concern are ultrafine particles (UFPs), which are less than 0.1 micrometer (µm) in diameter. They are a problem because they cannot be detected with the sampling equipment usually used to measure other particulates. Instead, a commercially available ultrafine particle counter must be used to measure the amount of these particles. Because these UFP particles weigh almost nothing, they stay airborne for a long time, easily move from one area of a building to another, and can travel through cracks in walls and floors, unlike other particles. Ultrafine particles (UFP) can be emitted by malfunctioning photocopiers.

  • Ozone: Photocopiers create ozone through their "corona wires" that apply a charge to the paper so the ink will cling to it. However, newer models use a different system to reduce the amount of ozone produced by the machine. The average ozone emitted is 40 µg/copy. At peak production, it is 131 µg/copy.¹ Ozone levels can reach dangerous levels in small, poorly ventilated copying rooms since it can cause headaches, and irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

  • Nitrous oxide gas

  • Carbon monoxide gas

• Blueprint copiers: These type of copiers can give off ammonia and acetic acid vapors, which can irritate and burn the eyes, nose, and throat. The average amount of ammonia vapors in the breathing zone of the machine operator can average 8.2 ppm, although these can range from 1 to 40 ppm. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health recommends that a limit of 35 ppm not be exceeded for 15 minutes. Blueprinting machines may also emit carbon monoxide, methanol, ethanol, trinitrofluorene, and trichloroethane.

• Spirit duplicating machines: These emit methanol and are best known for making purple copies that have strong odors. These vapors may cause drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, irritation, and burning of the eyes.

Minimizing Health Effects From Copiers

• Choose low-emission copiers: Buy copiers that can do the job with the lowest emissions. For example, choose dry process copiers rather than wet process copiers. Also, choose copiers that do not run as hot so that they will not produce as much ozone.

• Ozone filters: Make sure that the copier has an ozone filter. Some of the newer models come with them. Ozone from copiers is removed by activated charcoal filters that are replaced after a certain number of pages are printed (such as 50,000). The use of charcoal filters to remove VOCs from photocopiers has not proven to be very effective (only about four percent of emitted VOCs).

• Ventilation: Large volume copiers should bee isolated in a separate area with their own ventilation system that is exhausted to the outside. This area must have a lot of outdoor air and the air should not be recirculated throughout the rest of the building. Copy machines that are used occasionally should be located in well-ventilated rooms or within 10 feet of an exhaust vent.

• Maintenance: Have copiers maintained on a regular basis. For example, ozone emission from five copiers that US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tested dropped from a range of 16 µg/copy to131 µg/copy before maintenance to 1 µg/copy to 4 µg/copy after maintenance.¹

• Schedule regular breaks: If there are equipment operators using the equipment a great deal, they should be given scheduled breaks.

References

1. Hetes R, Moore M, Northelm C. Office equipment: Design, indoor air emissions, and pollution prevention opportunities. US EPA Project Summary, EPA/600/SR-95/045; Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. 1995.

2. Stefaniak AB, Breysse PN, Murray PM, Rooney BC, Schaefer J. An evaluation of employee exposure to volatile organic compounds in three photocopy centers. Environmental Research. 2000;83(2):162-173.