ART CHEMICAL HAZARDS

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Art Hazards Project

Many art techniques involve the use of chemicals that can pose risks to human health and the environment if mishandled. The objective of the Art Hazards Project, a project of the Local Hazardous Waste Management Program in King County, is to protect artists’ health and the natural environment in King County from the risks posed by hazardous chemicals in art supplies.

The Art Hazards Project helps identify potentially hazardous chemicals in art supplies and provides information on ways to reduce risks from these chemicals to artists, museum and gallery staff, art educators, and art suppliers through seminars and trainings.

The project team collaborates with artists, art colleges, cooperatives, museums, galleries and suppliers to help artists and art educators understand risks, reduce potential exposures to chemical hazards, and ensure hazardous art materials are properly recycled or disposed when no longer needed.

For more information on the Art Hazards Project or to schedule a training, seminar or initial meeting, contact Dave Waddell at 206-263-3069 or dave.waddell@kingcounty.gov.

Free Workshops

Chemical Hazards in Printmaking (PDF download)
Can you be harmed by the materials in your studio? Are you properly disposing of your printmaking wastes?
Fremont Public Library Meeting Room
731 N. 35th St., Seattle, WA 98103
May 13, 2013 from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
RSVP to dave.waddell@kingcounty.gov or 206-263-3069

Calendar of all free workshops.

4Culture | Guest Blogger

Lungs + Learning (Apr 23, 2013)
Living Longer with Safer Ceramics (Mar 19, 2013)
Snorting Spray Adhesives for Minimum Wage (Feb 12, 2013 )
Bathtubs, Cyanide & that Beautiful Blue Tone (Jan 2, 2013)
Don't Drink the Turpentine! (Nov 29, 2012)

Art Supplies – Risks and Alternatives

Selecting Safer Art Adhesives (PDF, 881 KB)

Related Materials

Arts & Creative Materials Institute
http://www.acminet.org/

Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety
http://www.artscraftstheatersafety.org/datasheets.html

Center for Research on Occupational and Environmental Toxicology – Artist
http://www.croetweb.com/links.cfm?subtopicID=182

Chicago Artists Resource - Art and Craft Hazardous Waste
http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/node/9166

Connecticut Department of Health – Leaded Ceramic Glazes (PDF)
http://www.ct.gov/dph/lib/dph/environmental_health/lead/pdf/Leaded_Ceramic_Glazes_Advisory_final_04_04_06.pdf

Guidelines for the Safe Use of Art and Craft Materials
http://www.oehha.org/education/art/artguide.html

INFORM - Strategies for a better environment (PDF)
http://www.informinc.org/fsart.pdf

National Library of Medicine - Keeping the Artist Safe: Hazards of Arts and Crafts Materials
http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/enviro/arthazards.html