Of course, it is okay to conclude that anything that brings out fumes could be a little harmful. Well, laminators are known to exhaust fumes, so you might wonder if these fumes are toxic or not.
Laminating paper has so many benefits, but there are also some disadvantages. If you are the type that loves to keep your documents clean and neat at all times, you might be a fan of lamination.
There are some establishments that do laminate as a business. You pay for the service and get your document or paper covered in transparent plastic. Yes, you must have heard that laminating sheets are made of plastic.
The plastic covering makes it hard for the content to get easily damaged by human carelessness, water, or heat. For example, exposing your paper to little heat could bring about its end in no time. The same goes with water and tearing.
If you don’t handle paper or other items properly, a little mistake could make them tear apart, and they might be gone forever. These are the primary reasons people choose to laminate their essential items and documents.
However, if you are the type that makes frequent use of laminating machines, you must have noticed some fumes coming out of it as you use it. The fumes could be more intense, especially when you are using it in a less-ventilated area.
The question you might be asking now is, Are Laminator Fumes dangerous? Well, as someone who is conscious of their health and the environment, I must commend you for looking it up. There are many people who might have noticed these fumes but are not bothered by them.
In the following subheading, I will explain the reason why laminating machines bring out fumes while they are in use. Trust me; it isn’t rocket science.
Why Do Laminators Bring Out Fumes?
The primary reason behind the fumes being released by laminators is the heating of plastic. Let me remind you that the laminating sheets where you enclose your documents are made of plastic.
Of course, when plastic comes in contact with heat, it begins to disintegrate and will indeed release fumes. This is usually some of the reasons why many people do not make use of laminating machines.
The good news is that not all laminators bring out fumes this way. There is a category of laminating machines that do not release fumes because the plastic does not come in contact with heat. This is where hot and cold laminators come into the picture.
Hot and Cold Laminators vary in the way they work. The former works with heat, while the latter does not involve heat. Laminating with a hot laminator will undoubtedly result in fumes around the work area.
However, hot laminators are the most common not only because they are easier to use but because they bring out a finer laminate. Compared to laminates from cold laminators, laminates from hot laminates look better and last longer.
Also, people prefer to go for hot laminators because they are cheaper and more economical than cold laminators. If you check Amazon or any other commodity market today, you will notice that hot laminators are usually less expensive than cold laminators.
The only problem that people face with hot laminators is just the fumes that it releases when it is in use. If you are the type who is not worried about the cost of cold laminators, I will advise that you go for it.
So yes, fumes that come out of laminators can be dangerous, especially when it is in large amounts. You might want to know some of the dangers associated with these laminating machine fumes. I will talk about it in the next section.
What Happens When Plastic Burns in Laminators?
When plastic burns in laminators, it will cause the same effects as when you burn plastics typically. However, the process in laminators is reduced to an extent, but it is still considered unsafe.
First of all, when these fumes are released into the environment, as time goes on, it will result in respiratory ailments. This happens when people begin to find breathing hard or have difficulty with breathing.
Most of these ailments are usually hard to manage, and if they are not adequately treated, the cases might worsen with time. Please note that these ailments might begin to develop when you inhale these fumes over time.
Also, these fumes are known to stress the immune systems of humans. When you inhale these fumes in large amounts, your immune systems begin to get weaker very fast, and you might fall sick more easily.
In addition, plastic fumes are carcinogenic. They have been proven to be some of the possible causes of cancer.
Conclusion
Now that you know how dangerous laminator fumes can be. There are ways you can control their emission. First of all, you should make sure that the area where you will be laminating is well ventilated; this is the most crucial measure.
The fumes will begin to add up when there is no exit for them. Then they get concentrated in the areas where they are produced, such that the operator begins to inhale them. I am not suggesting that you start laminating outdoors; no.
Laminating is meant to be done indoors but with a lot of ventilation. Another way to reduce these emissions is to constantly change the laminator rollers as they age. When the rollers begin to age and are not replaced, they become weaker and might influence the emission of these fumes.
Also, make use of quality laminating sheets at all times. There are so many brands of laminating sheets these days, and it is hard to tell which has more outstanding quality. If you have a good experience at laminating, you might be able to tell which one is good.
Laminating sheets of bad quality will release lots of fumes when they get into the laminator. This is why you should be very careful when selecting laminating sheets for purchase.
If possible, stay away from hot laminators. This is not compulsory, but if you have the means, kindly do away with hot laminators. Hot laminators will continue to release some amounts of fumes, no matter the precautions.
Cold laminators, however, will never release fumes since they do not involve the use of heat. The only issue you might face with cold laminators is the price tag. As I mentioned earlier, cold laminators are usually more expensive than the popular hot laminators.