tl;dr maybe don’t sleep where you print
Does this mean that 3D printing causes cancer? No, not by a long shot. But, it’s clear that under lab conditions, exposure to either PLA or ABS particulates seems to be related to some of the cell changes associated with carcinogenesis.
Even then it’s safer than playing with rocks it seems.
Bro wth I have my printer in my room. I print pla. Fucking hell I gotta move this thing somewhere else.
You could make an enclosure. You’ll get better prints too
There was that video from a few months ago from… Prints with layers I think? That looked at the actual particulate and volatile counts and found that PLA actually gave off very little? Other plastics were much worse.
So remember that the particle counts matter as much as the danger of the particles.
(Disclaimer, that was a video, not a peer reviewed scientific paper)
As someone who does R&D testing on plastics that are used in medical devices, I have some insight. Of course the type of plastic matters, but all plastics use carcinogenic chemicals during the manufacturing/extrusion process.
To make most plastic, a polymer resin is mixed with additives such as solvents, plasticizers, and stabilizers at high temperatures. Ideally, you want the additives to evaporate out during production so that you’re left with just the newly formed plastic.
But some of these additives get trapped in tiny air pockets between polymer chains. When they’re reheated, the polymer chains relax and release the volatile, carcinogenic additives into the air.
This is likely where the toxicity is coming from, not the polymer chain itself. So regardless of the type of plastic used, reheating the polymer during 3D printing will release some volatile additives.
Wow who would have thunk the chemicals getting dumped into the environment by the fucking oil industries could be dangerouse. There are a million 3d printing materials u can use and have decent extraction and ur fine. Guy u need to be scared 3d printers might give the consumer too much power, cant have foss technology winning out.
u
Slow down, spend the half-second, and use all the right letters.
I can’t even tell what you’re mad about
FDM plastic often uses PLA, which is derived from corn starch, not petroleum.
Petroleum comes from sea creatures, why do you think plastic derived from corn is going to be safe?
Okay buddy ya wanna get specific? Let’s get specific. Sea creatures are made up of protons and neutrons. So was Hitler. Coincidence??? Checkmate? Nah we aren’t done yet buddy.
What are protons and neutrons made up of? Quarks! You know what else is made up of quarks? My average sized penis.
Do you think my penis is considered safe? What about sea creatures? I think you have a lot of research work to do in physics and polymers.
You’re not wrong, but the idea that “plant based” is “safe” isn’t right either. Plants can create all kinds of horribly toxic, carcinogenic compounds – especially when burned or heated.
Wood smoke of all things is mildly carcinogenic and we cook our food with it.
If you had read my comment, you’d see that I never said nor insinuated that PLA was safe. I specified it differed from petroleum.
you have given me a lot to think about
So this is just propaganda.
According to authors [CheolHong Lim] and [DongSeok Seo], the research covered in this paper was undertaken because of reports of rare cancers among Korean STEM teachers, particularly those who used 3D printers in their curricula. It was thought that only long-term, continued exposure to the particulates generated by 3D printers could potentially be hazardous and that PLA was less likely to be hazardous than ABS. The study was designed to assess the potential carcinogenicity of both ABS and PLA particulates under conditions similar to what could be expected in an educational setting.
Plastic is a very broad term for materials made from synthetic polymers
Printing using PLA in the basement, with a filter, not being in the room until the print is actually done. I feel pretty safe.
What does this all mean to the home gamer?
Oooook……
Plot twist!
This took an interesting turn!
