❋ Detoxcellence

Laser Printer Toner Emissions

Office laser printers on or beside a desk.

67Low burden · out of 100
Cleaner swapSite the printer away from desks in a ventilated space

How this score is built

  1. 100Start
  2. 86.2Chemical hazard 3 × 4.6−13.8
  3. 72.6Everyday exposure 4 × 3.4−13.6
  4. 67Persistence 2 × 2.6−5.2, then rounded to 67
  5. LowThe band67 sits in 60–79.

What each input rests on

The three ratings behind the score, and the studies each rests on
InputRatingEvidence
Chemical hazard3/10unsourced input
Everyday exposure4/10

  • Of 62 printers in an office building, about 40% emitted submicrometer particles and 27% of those were high emitters; printer particles significantly affected submicrometer particle levels in the open-plan office (p = 0.01).

    Particle emission characteristics of office printers · Environ Sci Technol 2007

    DOI 10.1021/es063049z · PMID 17937279 · Abstract · read 2026-10-06

Persistence2/10unsourced input

Ratings are editorial. A study listed here supports the rating; it did not compute it. How the index is built

What this means for you

Work published in Environmental Science & Technology found some laser printers emit substantial ultrafine particles during printing, driven by the hot fuser. Distance and ventilation are the practical levers, since emission is highest right at the machine.

Evidence strength: moderate

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