Are your records a health concern?
Polemical article on slashgear.com. Any truth in it?
"Then there’s vinyl’s health effects. PVC is carcinogenic, causes damage to nerves and reproductive organs, and often contains additives like lead and cadmium. It exhibits a lifelong, chemical breakdown (known as outgassing) that spits out vinyl chlorides, turning turn your body into a magnet for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Agent Orange is one glaring example of POPs. Musician Benn Jordan tested his own vinyl with an industrial-grade air quality monitor to see just how bad this effect is. Playing newer records for just a couple of minutes led to a sharp rise in unsafe air quality; playing older, more worn vintage records caused the same unsafe levels within moments of setting the record on the platter; shuffling through records (without playing them) led to levels unsafe for short-term inhalation. This was with a handful of records; imagine a shop (or home storage cabinet) full of them."
Do Vinyl Records Actually Sound Better Than CDs? We Take A Closer Look (slashgear.com)
Well First off, PVC is not a carcinogenic. Vinyl chloride is.a carcinogen. This is a GAS used in the production of PVC. PVC is listed as an approved material for potable water. In solid form it's pretty inert. But you bring up an interesting topic. The real question is how hot does it get at the point of contact where stylus meets record surface and what can potentially be emitted .
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@bdp24 Polycarbonate.
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I would not consider this article to be too well informed. It continues the vinyl degradation myth, which has been repeatedly debunked. Playing records with properly set-up table does not degrade the vinyl. -- Wow and Flutter is very well controlled these days. Even if Fremer in recent Absolute Sound issue considers "1 arc minute" to be audible. Nevermind that an angular measurement is not an indication of velocity change. But I digress ... -- Dust myth is permeated, but with decent cleaning, no problem. -- How much do I now believe their health risk claim? Not much. TBH. |
The article also addresses Mahler's point: "(is) vinyl ... the superior listening medium? Spoiler alert: it's not ..." Which, it seems to me, tells you all you need to know about this source. But, to address his major point, a little perspective helps. Consider a short list of things that off-gas bad stuff: plastic flooring, synthetic carpets, furniture, construction glue, caulking, plastic window frames, plastic siding, some insulation, many paints and varnishes, most plywood, shower curtains, plastic blinds, cleaning products, car interiors (for extended periods of exposure), and foam mattresses (for 8 hours of continuous close exposure - every night). Automobiles. Trucks. Power plants. Refineries. Of course, with exceptions. IMO.
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@tablejockey ....now, That's what I wished to have growing up in SoCA.... I'm waiting for the study to come out that the existence of 2 sexes is what ultimately causes most if not all diseases. infirmities....all that.... ...oh, and then there's the microplastic waste that will turn the oceans to sludge.... |
@noromance, your link to the age old vinyl vs cd debate states It may seem like this is a new thing that only emerged prior to CDs in the 1980s, but that's sadly not the case. Digital recording goes way back to 1976 — for reference, the Rolling Stones were touring Europe that year. There is a very good chance that any record pressed after that date originates from a digital master. Read More: https://www.slashgear.com/1599756/do-vinyl-records-actually-sound-better-than-cds/ Somebody's been lying to us all along...I still have many cds from their first retail appearance ('83/'84) that state the recording was done AAD. Can't have it both ways, or can you? |
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