Production Powders Become a Concern
December 2001
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In the weeks and months following the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, what was once ignored during the routine of daily life is now sending up red flags.
Unfortunately, many white powders or fine substances commonly found just about anywhere are being interpreted, in the interest of public safety, as possible Anthrax scares when they appear unexpectedly.
A seemingly harmless powder that has long been a part of the production process for magazines, catalogs and direct mail is causing panic for uninformed recipients interpreting the powder as being Anthrax. And while there is absolutely no health threat involved with the distribution of magazines, catalogs and direct mail, the public is understandably jittery following the discovery of Anthrax-laced mail.
Powders used within the printing process, obviously, have never been an issue until now. Known generically as offset spray powders and slip agents, the powders, such as those manufactured by Oxy-Dry, are used to prevent pages from sticking together while drying, or to keep the books from adhering to polywrap bags. Consequently, quantities of these powders remain in between the pages of books after they have been mailed and have been known to spill out of the pages upon opening, causing concern for uninformed readers.
Following the deaths of several postal workers and an employee at a publishing firm, Americans have been in a state of heightened awareness in the office and at home when it comes to dealing with the mail.
It has been learned that at least one such incident resulted in the dispatching of a Hazardous Materials team to a northeastern business after a magazine subscriber was horrified to find copious amounts of powder fall onto her desk from the back of a magazine.
In another incident, the Associated Press reported that a Wal-Mart in Tahlequah, OK, was evacuated and closed several days for testing of a powder that spilled from a stack of magazines. It was reportedly the tenth such incidence of powder anxiety for Anderson News Corp., which supplies Wal-Mart with a majority of its magazines.
But while these print production powders clearly are not a physical threat to those who come in contact with them, the psychological and emotional turmoil they can cause to uninformed recipients is immeasurable. Some of the biggest players in the publishing and printing industries are doing what they can to address the concerns.
Time Inc. has asked its printers to discontinue the use of cornstarch-based powders in the manufacture of its magazines, according to Peter Costiglio, spokesman for the New York-based news giant.
Unfortunately, many white powders or fine substances commonly found just about anywhere are being interpreted, in the interest of public safety, as possible Anthrax scares when they appear unexpectedly.
A seemingly harmless powder that has long been a part of the production process for magazines, catalogs and direct mail is causing panic for uninformed recipients interpreting the powder as being Anthrax. And while there is absolutely no health threat involved with the distribution of magazines, catalogs and direct mail, the public is understandably jittery following the discovery of Anthrax-laced mail.
Powders used within the printing process, obviously, have never been an issue until now. Known generically as offset spray powders and slip agents, the powders, such as those manufactured by Oxy-Dry, are used to prevent pages from sticking together while drying, or to keep the books from adhering to polywrap bags. Consequently, quantities of these powders remain in between the pages of books after they have been mailed and have been known to spill out of the pages upon opening, causing concern for uninformed readers.
Following the deaths of several postal workers and an employee at a publishing firm, Americans have been in a state of heightened awareness in the office and at home when it comes to dealing with the mail.
It has been learned that at least one such incident resulted in the dispatching of a Hazardous Materials team to a northeastern business after a magazine subscriber was horrified to find copious amounts of powder fall onto her desk from the back of a magazine.
In another incident, the Associated Press reported that a Wal-Mart in Tahlequah, OK, was evacuated and closed several days for testing of a powder that spilled from a stack of magazines. It was reportedly the tenth such incidence of powder anxiety for Anderson News Corp., which supplies Wal-Mart with a majority of its magazines.
But while these print production powders clearly are not a physical threat to those who come in contact with them, the psychological and emotional turmoil they can cause to uninformed recipients is immeasurable. Some of the biggest players in the publishing and printing industries are doing what they can to address the concerns.
Time Inc. has asked its printers to discontinue the use of cornstarch-based powders in the manufacture of its magazines, according to Peter Costiglio, spokesman for the New York-based news giant.
Companies Mentioned:
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