While many permanent markers are designed with user safety in mind, they can still contain toxic chemicals The ink in expo markers have a petroleum chemical called xylene which gives off the unpleasant smell many of us associate with whiteboard and permanent markers. Concerns about ink exposure often arise from everyday situations, such as a child putting a pen in their mouth or spilling printer ink
This article clarifies the actual risks associated with different types of ink and provides guidance on what steps to take if exposure happens. Expo markers are much more harmful than many would assume Ink contains volatile organic compounds (vocs) that cause its smell
Xylene markers cause 3x more worker headaches → productivity loss outweighs savings. This change came in response to complaints about the marker’s high toxicity and the strong odor created by the benzene solvents These compounds help the ink dry quickly and erase easily but also emit a noticeable odor.
