New Study Looks At The Potential Carcinogenicity Of 3D Printing
We’ve all heard stories of the dangers of 3D printing, with fires from runaway hot ends or dodgy heated build plates being the main hazards. But what about the particulates? Can they actually…
What they're saying is basically: We have no clue if 3D-printing can cause cancer, but better be careful.
Yeah, I didn't know that before.
This study looks at how particles released from 3D printers (specifically using ABS and PLA filaments) can damage cells and potentially lead to cancer. They found changes in gene expression linked to cancer development, but they can't definitively say 3D printing causes cancer yet.
If you read the full study, though, it’s clear that exposure to these particles affects cells in ways that suggest further research is needed to figure out just how dangerous it is, not if it's dangerous. The study avoids outright claiming that 3D printing causes cancer because it was mainly designed to assess cellular responses to particulate exposure, not long-term cancer outcomes.
They did see cellular changes linked to cancer pathways, but the study's design didn’t allow them to draw that direct conclusion. A follow-up study focused on these gene expression changes and long-term effects is likely to show a clearer link between 3D printing exposure and cancer development.
That being said, this isn't the only study. For instance, particles emitted during 3D printing—especially ultrafine nanoparticles—have been shown to cause cellular damage, oxidative stress, DNA breaks, and inflammation, all of which are early indicators for cancer development. In one study, exposure to ABS fumes led to a 49.5% decline in cell viability, pointing to high toxicity levels.
Other research has suggested that people exposed to 3D printer emissions have a cancer risk 3.44 times higher than those exposed to typical urban pollution. To be blunt, it's pretty well established that the particles emitted from 3D printing processes are biologically active and harmful. I think that most people engaged with the hobby probably know that intuitively, which seems borne out by the tenor of many of the comments here.
It's dangerous, and it's likely shortening your lifespan in the long term. You might not care now, but if you get cancer in a decade or two, I imagine future you will feel differently. "Do you" and all that, but I'm amazed by the amount of people 3D printing without air filtration and vent hoods. The fact that some people do this in the open air in their living spaces is mind boggling to me.
Honestly, I love 3d printing, but I still worry about microplastics in the environment.
Honestly, how much of the 3D printed crap ends up in landfills? It's the summum of our low quality, fast-creation, use once (twice?) and throw-away culture. This has to be one of the least eco friendly ways of product creation.
There is a different side to this equation too. Locally sourcing production. There is no surplus stock that needs to be thrown unopened. No shipping of some part that solves some particular problem. Replacement parts can be made for things that would otherwise be cheaper to buy new and dump the old one, etc.
Well, it isn't so much as that. It's more of a "crap, my bed isn't leveled", or "my nozzle got clogged", or "the filament wasn't dry enough and broke", or the filament got tangled, or some other random print fart issue that causes multiple printing issues sometimes. There's also some situations where the design doesn't work and you have to go back and make another design change or iteration. All those attempts create waste plastic, and while I recycle my scraps, I'm not sure how many who are going into this hobby do.
I don't have a 3D printer but if I did I would try to keep it in a basement or garage, or at least keep a window open
Uneven airflow results in bad prints. Better to set up a ventilator hood that exhausts outside.
Perhaps, but have you actually tested this for yourself?
PLA is extruded at 220C in my Prusa beastie. Once the filament is slapped on the model, I probably want it to to fuse to the previous layer really well and then cool really fast and become stable.
We need to provide working and results rather than "I think that". My printer is quite close to a very large double doors to outside, which open and shut as required.
Mine live outside in the garage , I built a Corsi-Rosenthal box (box fan with a bunch of filters on it) that stays on out there, and both of mine are in fairly decently sealed enclosures with HEPA+Carbon recirc filters.
Don't go in there when printing unless absolutely necessary, and even then, minimise exposure.
I could tell you that it was a surprise for me but it's not and I also have a resin printer. Have you smelled that? It's the smell of cancer building up in your brain! But to be fair, so it's cola, coffe, fastfood, processed food, cars, every material used for building and keeping your house clean and anything diet... so you know... I was already going to have cancer, at least now I got to play with some toys while dying
Edit: Just wanted to add that my BIL was 43 yo, vegan, fit, would work out and swim 7 days a week, would eat salad from his own backyard, lived in a rural "clean" area and meditate and didn't like technologies... died from cancer at 43. I'm a fat slob that resin prints for 3 years and already outlived him
Please don't have resin in your room. It's nasty, and use gloves to touch (I assume you do), you can get chronic dermatitis from uncured resin
oh no I don't have it in my room, it's in the garage, but the smell goes all around the house
I have had dermatitis from resin in my arm (accidental) so yeah i'm aware pretty nasty stuff.
I keep Ender3 V2 in an enclosure and try to keep it as closed as possible when I take out my prints. Doesn't hurt to be safe.
I treat it the same way I would laser printer toner, at the very least I don't want it on my desk.
Does anyone here have any tips on low cost ways to vent out these residues from 3D printing?
Print with the same setup you'd use with resin printing: It's an enclosed tent that has filters and venting you can direct outside.
I've seen cheap ikea end tables modded for enclosures. Particle board is used to seal up three sides (between each of the legs), and an acrylic panel attached with some cheap hinges goes in the last one to make a door. A hole is cut in one of the boards to allow for ventilation.
I sold my 3d printer for this reason because there's no where I can keep it other than my tiny room. I want at least a large storage space that can be ventilated to turn into a sort of creation studio resplendent with a printer, sowing machine, soldering station, etc.
You can make little vented enclosures but yeah, there's only so much you can do in a confined space.