(image source:â wikimedia commons / tiia monto) by nichole cartmell 3d printing might be the next big thing, butits safety remains largely untested. and for that reason, you might want to rethink whereyou store your 3d printer. many printers on the market right now usea process called "heated thermoplastic extrusion
negative effects of 3d printing, and deposition," and when an object is printed,the device emits ultrafine particles. (viaâ youtube / 3dcreationlab) researchers at the illinois institute of technologybelieve these particles could actually harm your health. (viaâ youtube/fdmguy)
they analyzed five different printers andthe materials they print with. the researchers found those that use pla material emitted20 billion of these particles per minute. printers fueled by abs plastic emittedâ 200â billion.(viaâ sciencedirect) the ultrafine particles are small enough toget into your lungs and to be absorbed straight into the bloodstream. and worst case scenario,they can cause asthma-like symptoms, strokes and even cancer. but a writer forâ techcrunchâ says you don'tneed to be all that worried. "this is similar in scale to using a gas stove,lighting a cigarette, or burning a scented
candle. in short, it's a significant bit ofpotential pollution in an unfiltered environment
but it's nothing we don't do to ourselveson a daily basis already." so the takeaway from all this: researchersrecommend keeping your printer in a well-ventilated area.
