Toner for office equipment is a fine black or colored polymer powder. In consistency it looks like powder.
Color toner for printer
The powder is very volatile. It can get into the air not only if it accidentally wakes up, but also when you change the cartridge.
Toner Cartridge
And you may well inhale it. Is it dangerous? Can toner powder be toxic or carcinogenic? And cause the same harm as, for example, smoking?
The toner packaging does not indicate that it is a potentially dangerous carcinogen. It does not have a noticeable effect on people working in the office and does not cause diseases such as complications of chronic lung diseases or oncology. We are, of course, not talking about cases where a person has a severe allergic reaction to a chemical compound in the toner.
In an experiment conducted in laboratory conditions on rats, the animals inhaled a certain amount of the powder and it had no side effects other than short-term irritation of the lungs.
This suggests that inhaling small amounts of toner released into the office air is completely safe for health.
However, it is worth noting that one of the components of the toner is soot (about 10% of the substance). And carbon black has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as a 2-B carcinogen: dust that is potentially carcinogenic to humans. Inhaling soot can cause eye irritation, headaches, and even minor rashes on the tongue.
Is toner harmful to skin and eyes?
Yes.
It may cause temporary eye and skin irritation.
What to do if the powder gets into your eye?
It is necessary to rinse it with a special ophthalmic solution of natural tears.
It is better to wash the skin with hot water and soap.
If the negative consequences are not eliminated, contact an ophthalmologist, remembering to take the packaging of the consumable with you so that the doctor can look at the composition.
So, if you answer the question: is toner dangerous for humans, you can answer: no, it is not dangerous to health. However, reasonable caution should be exercised when handling this consumable and protect your mouth and nose with a dust mask, hands with latex gloves, and eyes with safety glasses. Of course, this is a recommendation for those who work with toner (changing cartridges in office equipment, pouring powder into cartridges and tubes, etc.). Although, some employees neglect protective measures.