I would love to do some fun things with the thermal printer I have lying around, however, I’m not so sure it is possible to get BPA free paper. Even the “BPA free” paper comes with similar molecules like BPS, which has been shown to be just as bad for the human endocrine system. If anyone can correct me on this and point me to some paper I would be comfortable with my kids handling (kids put everything in their mouths), please let me know.
Most of the alternatives today (including the Costco receipt in my pocket) are labeled "phenol free". As I understand it they use vitamin c or a urea derived compound.
Yep! WA State is the first to ban retailers from using phenol paper starting this year. I'd imagine hobbyists buying thermal printers online are likely to end up with the bad stuff, so I think it's good for people to be aware of the issue and the fact that there are cheap alternatives.
Just a question, but on these threads it’s nonstop talk about how dangerous the paper is like using it for one dnd game will give you cancer but we don’t blink twice at cashiers handling it 8hrs a day?
This looks awesome but I've read in the past that there are a lot of PFAS chemicals on these thermal printer papers. Is there like "safe" paper they have now that you can use for these things?
Thermal printers for TTRPG handouts is such a good idea. Handing a player a physical slip with a riddle or loot description is way more immersive than reading off a screen.
I would love to do some fun things with the thermal printer I have lying around, however, I’m not so sure it is possible to get BPA free paper. Even the “BPA free” paper comes with similar molecules like BPS, which has been shown to be just as bad for the human endocrine system. If anyone can correct me on this and point me to some paper I would be comfortable with my kids handling (kids put everything in their mouths), please let me know.
Most of the alternatives today (including the Costco receipt in my pocket) are labeled "phenol free". As I understand it they use vitamin c or a urea derived compound.
Whoa! Really? That’s cool! Thanks!
Yep! WA State is the first to ban retailers from using phenol paper starting this year. I'd imagine hobbyists buying thermal printers online are likely to end up with the bad stuff, so I think it's good for people to be aware of the issue and the fact that there are cheap alternatives.
Just a question, but on these threads it’s nonstop talk about how dangerous the paper is like using it for one dnd game will give you cancer but we don’t blink twice at cashiers handling it 8hrs a day?
This looks awesome but I've read in the past that there are a lot of PFAS chemicals on these thermal printer papers. Is there like "safe" paper they have now that you can use for these things?
Thermal printers for TTRPG handouts is such a good idea. Handing a player a physical slip with a riddle or loot description is way more immersive than reading off a screen.
It's actually the reason as to why I wanted to get a thermal printer a few years ago. To be honest, I'm surprised someone else had this idea, too.
Alas, that never materialized as the in-person campaign I was DMing fizzled out.
Probably best left for short lived notes, thermal printouts have tendency to degrade