WingedBlue Arts: Toxins and the Artist

Toxic:Materials Handling and Ventilation

Text and Artwork:
Copyright © 2009 Beth E Peterson.
All rights reserved.

As we begin our journey through the 21st century, it will probably come as no surprise to any of us that we live in a world reeking with toxic substances. Pollutants are a fact of life. It is interesting, and disturbing, that the EPA says that the average household's indoor air here in the US can be 40 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. This does not bode well for those of us who add even more fumes to our air through the use of solvents, mediums, fixatives and other toxic substances in the course of our work. And more and more is becoming known about the effects these toxic substances can have on us, especially solvents such as turpentine and mineral spirits. (In for a good scare? Read the warning label on a bottle of turps.) In addition, not only are many of these substances toxic, many of them are also hazardous in other ways, too, most notably in their high flammablity.

Resources

ClearFlite Air Purifiers
AirPure Air Purifiers
Achoo Allergy (HEPA Air Purifiers)

Materials Handling:

Storage of Toxic Substances:

All toxic substances should be stored in tightly sealed metal or glass containers. Other types of containers will allow fumes to escape into the outside air. Solvents and other toxic substances should also be kept away from any heat sources. Even an overly hot attic can be potentially explosive. Make sure to store all solvents and other toxic substances completely out of reach of children, pets and wildlife. If there is any possibility of confusion whatsoever, make sure that all containers which store or come in contact with the solvent or other toxin are clearly marked as poisonous. (For example, a container of dirty solvent or the jar you use to hold a small amount of solvent while you are painting.

Storage of Oily Rags:

Oily or solvent-filled rags are quite a fire hazard. Fumes from solvents will not only pollute your air, the fumes can also spontaneously combust. That is to say, the fumes, and then the rags themselves, can burst into flame without any spark from any outside source. Because of these two dangers, dirty rags should be kept in an air-tight metal container until they are disposed of. You can also mitigate the danger of spontaneous combustion by keeping the rags in water, but this does not stop the toxic fumes from entering your air, and in fact gives you a new problem...the disposal of the polluted water the rags are being stored in. I would suggest in either case, send these rags out at each trash collection. Don't let them build up, since the more oily, solvent-filled rags you have in one place, the more likely they are to combust.

Disposal:

Colorants settle out of both turps and mineral spirits; because of this we can reuse the solvent over and over again. Even so, eventually we will build up a sludge at the bottom of our container. Because we as artists do not tend to use vast amounts of solvents, disposal isn't too much of a problem. My local waste management company will not accept liquids in the landfill; however, they do allow me to use kitty litter to absorb the dirty solvent and then place that in an empty coffee can (with lid). Then I can set it out with my regular trash. Check with your own local waste management agency. They can tell you how to process your own hazardous wastes in accordance with their own rules. They will also almost certainly be thrilled to know that responsible people really are out there.

Ventilation:

Even for those of us who are working in fairly non-toxic mediums such as acrylics, pencil or pastels, there is often a need for good ventilation. Acrylics do have fumes, albeit much less noxious than oils, and have you ever breathed in a load of fixative by mistake? In addition, if you do your own framing you will have toxic fumes coming from the wood stains, putties, finishes and certain glues.

If you aren't doing much work involving hazardous materials, you can often get by just fine with doing most of your toxic activities outside. However, if you do need good ventilation inside, how do you go about getting it? Open windows are almost never adequate. Basically, there are two options: fan systems and air purifiers.

Fans:

Fan-driven vent systems physically remove air from your studio and new air is drawn into your studio from outside the room, whether that be from a hallway or the outdoors. In most instances, this type of system may solve any ventilation problems you have. However, be aware that fan systems create drafts. This can be uncomfortable to work in and it can lead to undesirable amounts of dust in the air. (Slow drying finishes, such as damar varnish, especially hate dust.) Fans come in a number of different styles. You could get a window fan, a variety of fans in different sizes that come with a cover and is set into your wall, or even a localized fan system which services a small semi-enclosed area, such as the wall fan with the hood above the stove in your kitchen. Air-brush spraying booths are just a larger version of that very prosaic idea.

Air Purifiers:

There are a multitude of air purifiers on the market. If you need your air well-scrubbed, whether because of the particular materials you use and/or because you are sensitive to them, I would suggest that you shop around and find out what your area merchants have to offer, as well as surfing the web for information. Check in your local yellow pages under ‘Air Cleaning & Purifying Equipment'. When gathering information, be aware that a system that removes smoke, which has been a focus since the anti-smoking surge began, may not remove chemical fumes. Be sure to determine which system actually takes care of the pollutant that you need to get rid of in your studio's air.

Air purifiers come in two basic types: filter systems, and a newer technology using ultraviolet light. Filtration system air purifiers catch particles, such as dust and smoke, but may not be adequate at taking out the chemical fumes from solvents. Be sure to get the particulars of the systems you are considering. In addition, find out how often you will have to change filters, how easy it is to change them, how much they cost and how hard they are to come by. The air purifiers which work on an ultraviolet system will change the molecular structure of the solvent fumes, thereby rendering them harmless and odorless. Ultraviolet purifiers also kill mold and mildew, which may be a benefit to your canvases' health as well as your own. Check on the specific system's ability to deal with particles such as dust.

Air purification systems are expensive, with the ultraviolet systems being the most expensive. You must balance the cost against your needs. If you don't use many toxic substances you may do better with a simple fan-driven venting system...perhaps with a separate, small, dust-free room set aside for things such as newly varnished oil paintings that are drying. If, on the other hand, your studio could be posted by the EPA on a list entitled ‘Top Ten Toxic Sites in the US', then it might be worth the money for a full system.

Certainly, no matter what level your own personal toxic intake is at, these issues are something to be aware of. Thank goodness for the folk who keep developing new ways to overcome these old problems!