Epoxy putty vs health risks

[ArmC]

Hi everyone! I have some questions about epoxy in general, so there it goes:

Epoxy comes with many different names and brands around the world. You have green stuff, milliput, and a million different names that actually describe the same thing:
One part resin and one part hardener, so that the resin gets solid in the end.
I have some chemistry knowledge, and I know that hardeners in general are organic compounds that can sometimes be quite dangerous for one\'s health (depending on the quantity of course)
I know that there are many people in the community that have been working with these materials for years, so the actual questions are:
Has anyone ever had any kind of health problems? (like irritaded skin for example)
Are you using any kind of gloves or something similar?

Thanks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoxy

 

[arogers907]

I can tell you as a casual user of mostly green stuff and Sculpey with dogs and children, I haven\'t had any problems. I mostly sculpt bases, fill seams, and build the occasion hand and/or weapon.

No problems here.

Can\'t say anything for the more \'chronic\' users.

 

[Dragon Forge Design]

Sculptors like Tom Meier have been using it for over 30 years with no ill health effects.

Ive been using GS for going on 25 with no problems.

Like any item, if you shove enough of it into a Rats ass is a lab its gonna develop something.

 

[johnboyjjb]

Someone on this site gave themselves a green stuff filling until he could go to the dentist quite a while later. Don\'t remember who it was though, reverend maybe?

 

[Wren]

I have a vague recollection of someone mentioning developing a bit of a sensitivity to epoxy putty. I think they used gloves. If you\'re concerned, gloves while mixing would probably take care of the worst of the contact. I have a lot of contact skin allergies (dyes, perfumes, even aloe!) and I rarely have problems with sculpting putties. Admittedly I use them very occasionally, but I\'d sooner mix up some GS than use antibacterial perfume rich aloe soap. :-> I think it\'s less toxic than the liquid two part resins that seem to come with pretty hefty warnings. I have heard of people getting serious sensitivities to those and the warnings on them make me a bit nervous.

There\'s a note in the 1listsculpting FAQ about a cancer scare that was going around a few years back with GS which Sandra Garrity debunked.

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Tsakalesis
Epoxy comes with many different names and brands around the world. ....I have some chemistry knowledge, and I know that hardeners in general are organic compounds that can sometimes be quite dangerous for one\'s health (depending on the quantity of course)

They\'re all based on the same basic chemistry, apparently (e.g. bisphenol A and epoxy resin). There was a post on planetFigure about this last year sometime from a member who\'s a chemist*.

Originally posted by Tsakalesis
Has anyone ever had any kind of health problems? (like irritaded skin for example)

I get small red marks on the back of my thumb, from using it as a palette to dampen tools, when working with Kneadatite/Duro/Greenstuff/GS. Nothing from the other putties I use as far as I can tell.

When I used to lick my sculpting tools GS was the only one that left an aftertaste in my mouth, which is one of the things that first got me to change my habits (thankfully).

I\'ve read a post on a forum (can\'t remember which one, thought it was here but I can\'t find it) from a member who developed a sensitivity over a long period of using putties commercially and now can\'t even be in the same room without side effects.

Originally posted by Tsakalesis
Are you using any kind of gloves or something similar?

I tried it but it was impractical. I now blend the putty then wash my hands thoroughly before sculpting, then try not to touch the putty much while I work.

*Here\'s an excerpt from one of his posts:

Incidentally - the company materials show and talk about handling this without gloves. If you are going to use it once or twice and wash up thoroughly afterwards, that\'s probably OK, but if you are using any 2 part resin with a chemical activator every week (like me!) use thin rubber gloves and use it with good ventilation. The activator chemicals in 2 part putties are allergic sensitizers and will cause dermatitis, etc. Keep your putty-covered hands or gloves out of your eyes also.

Einion

 

[Monkfish44]

i think the GS cancer scare was a rumour started by a rival company in the early 90\'s

 

[Thecadian]

i have no problems with greenstuff. I haven\'t used much of it but i do chew it to mix it and i haven\'t had any bad effects.

 

[supervike]

Originally posted by Thecadian
i have no problems with greenstuff. I haven\'t used much of it but i do chew it to mix it and i haven\'t had any bad effects.

Erm. That doesn\'t sound advisable at all.

Licking a tool is one thing, but actually chewing it? How can you be sure you are getting it all out of your teeth? I hope you are just pulling our legs!

 

[Amazon warrior]

Originally posted by Thecadian
...but i do chew it to mix it and i haven\'t had any bad effects.

Really don\'t do that. Just \'cos you don\'t come up in a teeming rash when you use it, doesn\'t mean that chewing it is safe.

 

[Wren]

Originally posted by supervike
Licking a tool is one thing, but actually chewing it? How can you be sure you are getting it all out of your teeth? I hope you are just pulling our legs!

And if you have any kind of dental work at all (fillings, bridges, etc.) I would guess it\'s sticky enough to potentially yank it out.