I was told my by a local shop here in Los Angeles that I had to have some kind of filter system added to my exhaust for Health reasons. Is that true? I contacted the EPA ( Environmental Protection Agency) on this issue and was told to contact my local health department. I was never aware of this issue. I just have a regular exhaust going outside. Am I the one doing this?

After complaints from business park neighbors, the fire department came out and did some testing and said that I was fine to exhaust outside without filtration. I doubt that the EPA or health department have much knowledge of lasers, so I'd avoid contacting them and opening a can of worms.

With the smog levels in southern CA, if they find out about your laser they probably would require filtration. Typically a system is going to be well over $1,000.

...I'd avoid contacting them and opening a can of worms. With the smog levels in southern CA, if they find out about your laser they probably would require filtration.

Isn't this like "Don't tell anyone you're dumping toxic waste down the drain or they might make you stop..."? If the local health org believes he needs to filter, I would say it's a good bet that he does, and not just for his own health. It may cost him $1k to put in a filtration system now, but what is that compared to the $1 million civil suit for dumping waste into the air for anyone to breathe? It doesn't matter if your reasons for scrubbing the output are altruistic or selfish, as long as the results are the same, clean air.

These machines should come with their own filter system. But for now I am going to build something myself so I wont kill my neighbors.

Arturo... I imagine a standard air filter followed by a HEPA filter wrapped in a custom aluminum enclosure should be adequate. No need to go fancy or expensive, just something that works. Find some scrap aluminum or other sheet metal, make a box, and put the two filters in. The cheapy filter takes care of the big stuff and is replaced more often. The HEPA filter is more expensive and meant for the nasty stuff you don't want to breathe in, but shouldn't have to be replaced as often.

I 've seen in the intl shows some filter boxes at laser booths, they use something like this purex filter, they are very good , you cant smell or see any fumes.
http://www.purexltd.co.uk/products/products.htm
I asked them for a quote but they did not answer..... What are the websites for..???
Anyway I like more the solution of make it myself, it is easy , you dont have to be "MacGyver" to do it.... Je!
After a while lasering , you can find where your headaches come from....all fumes from these machine are toxic, Acrilyc, Polystyrene, MDF, and very toxic =PVC. Do not think to laser PVC at all , it will rust your machine...

Thats what I was thinking.
Some kind of filters in a box.

Thanks,

Arturo... I imagine a standard air filter followed by a HEPA filter wrapped in a custom aluminum enclosure should be adequate....

If you are only doing metals a particulate filter may be adequate. If you do plastics you may find it necessary to use activated charcoal to remove the organic vapors; these are not particles and may not be stopped even by a HEPA filter.

As lamicron says fumes from melted and vaporized plastic range from nasty to very nasty; rusty machines are one thing, rusty lungs are more difficult to replace.

If you do plastics you may find it necessary to use activated charcoal to remove the organic vapors; these are not particles and may not be stopped even by a HEPA filter.
:withstupi
Can't believe I missed that one...