Cadwalladr, C. (2014, Feburary 10)
Environmental Impact
As
with any new technology, it is quite easy to get swept up in the benefits of 3-D
printing without considering the possible negative consequences. Industrial-
sized 3-D printers are considered energy hogs due to the fact that when these printers
melt plastics with lasers, they consume approximately “fifty to one hundred
times more electrical energy than injection molding to make an item of the same
weight, according to research by Loughborough University.” (Techrepublic, Gilpin)
Certain laws could be put into use to lessen the hazards that can result from 3-D printing by limiting its usage, at least until more definitive research is done on the topic. Since the overall idea is to encourage more sustainable use of these printers, they could possibly be limited in terms of how many printers people can have (whether it be in a home, in a business, or any sort of establishment). The idea to require a minimum amount of recycled materials used for printing plastic products could also be a viable solution. There are many ideas that could have benefits, especially since 3-D printing is still relatively new.
Although they have many positive aspects, 3-D printers can still be potentially wasteful and hazardous machines. While helping industries grow, they can cause dangerous environmental impacts due to the fact that their environmental impact, from their energy consumption to the sustainability of the manufacturing materials have not yet been well studied.
Unhealthy air emissions are another risk when personal- sized 3-D printers are used within the home. The emissions released are similar to burning a cigarette or cooking on gas or electric stoves yet can, at times, be much worse. The laser technology cuts through pieces of plastic to mold shapes, releasing the melted plastic emission across the house, causing harm. Although a lot of households include various sources of harmful air and other similar substances, having melted/ burning plastic emissions is a lot more damaging to health. The most dangerous aspect is that a lot of these emissions are airborne and nano-sized, making them very difficult to detect or filter. 3-D printers also rely on plastics to successfully work. The reduction of plastic use has been one of the biggest environmental movements of the past few years, and 3-D printers will contribute to fossil fuel use. This causes ethical concerns because of the harm caused to the environment, yet there are ways to bypass these issues, like recycling plastics to be used in the printers themselves, especially in industrial- sized printers that use a lot more plastic.
Certain laws could be put into use to lessen the hazards that can result from 3-D printing by limiting its usage, at least until more definitive research is done on the topic. Since the overall idea is to encourage more sustainable use of these printers, they could possibly be limited in terms of how many printers people can have (whether it be in a home, in a business, or any sort of establishment). The idea to require a minimum amount of recycled materials used for printing plastic products could also be a viable solution. There are many ideas that could have benefits, especially since 3-D printing is still relatively new.
Although they have many positive aspects, 3-D printers can still be potentially wasteful and hazardous machines. While helping industries grow, they can cause dangerous environmental impacts due to the fact that their environmental impact, from their energy consumption to the sustainability of the manufacturing materials have not yet been well studied.
Unhealthy air emissions are another risk when personal- sized 3-D printers are used within the home. The emissions released are similar to burning a cigarette or cooking on gas or electric stoves yet can, at times, be much worse. The laser technology cuts through pieces of plastic to mold shapes, releasing the melted plastic emission across the house, causing harm. Although a lot of households include various sources of harmful air and other similar substances, having melted/ burning plastic emissions is a lot more damaging to health. The most dangerous aspect is that a lot of these emissions are airborne and nano-sized, making them very difficult to detect or filter. 3-D printers also rely on plastics to successfully work. The reduction of plastic use has been one of the biggest environmental movements of the past few years, and 3-D printers will contribute to fossil fuel use. This causes ethical concerns because of the harm caused to the environment, yet there are ways to bypass these issues, like recycling plastics to be used in the printers themselves, especially in industrial- sized printers that use a lot more plastic.