News: No news is good news...

Login  |  Register

Author Topic: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?  (Read 895 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Wyddr

  • Author Eminence: Hereticus Liber Daemonica | Fio'shas Shi
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5252
  • Country: us
    • My blog about SF/F stuff
  • Armies: Daemons, Imperial Fists, Tau, Ksons, Vostroyans
Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« on: October 12, 2021, 02:37:51 PM »
Okay, so this is a weird one:

I am literally allergic to whatever chemical they used to do the matte finish on the 2021 Tourney Pack and Munitorium manual. Like, if I touch the book or handle it for any amount of time, my asthma flares up and I need to use an inhaler, lest I be coughing for the next twenty minutes.

Two things:
1) Has anyone heard of this happening before?
2) What can I do about it?

The book is a really useful reference guide and not being able to touch it is a pain in the ass. Right now it's in a sealed ziploc bag in my wife's closet, because even sitting next to it at my desk was irritating my lungs. Google has turned up nothing, so I turn to you, 40KO. Any ideas? It's not like I can run it through the wash.

Offline Irisado

  • A Light in The Grim-Darkness ~ Guns Don't Kill People, Copyright Stats Do | Farseer | Reporting Live! from the Crime Scene | Somewhat behind the times
  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 11479
  • Country: gb
  • Soñando debajo del arco iris
  • Armies: Administrators must not play 40K
Re: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« Reply #1 on: October 12, 2021, 02:54:12 PM »
I've not heard of this happening in relation to GW books specifically, however, allergies to new books is not unknown.  I regular suffer from nasal irritation or a dry cough when opening some new books because of the print on the page still having quite a strong smell and I am very sensitive to news print, which is why I had to stop reading hard copy newspapers some years ago.

It sounds to me as though the chemical that they have used to protect and/or seal the cover is the problem.  I'm not sure that there is much that can be done about it in the short term.  It should fade with time, so maybe try leaving it for a while?  The alternative is to remove the cover, but that would completely destroy the book, so it's a rather extreme measure.  My suggestion would be to put it in a room on a window ledge where the window is open more or less all day (i.e. a room that you rarely use and enter) and see whether that allows the smell to dissipate.
You haunt my in-box like an ex-girl friend could only dream of.

The Forum Rules - Please Read and Remember Them.

Soñando con una playa donde brilla el sol, un arco iris ilumina el cielo, y el mar espejea iridescentemente

Offline Sir_Godspeed

  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2070
  • Country: no
  • "Bees. My God" was an obscure Batman quote.
Re: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« Reply #2 on: October 12, 2021, 06:40:50 PM »
Holy crap, that's wild.

Is one of those book covers they use in schools applicable here? Maybe some variant that's entirely sealed?

Offline Alienscar

  • Senior Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 1465
  • Country: 00
  • I *LOVE* 40k Online!
Re: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« Reply #3 on: October 18, 2021, 06:07:11 AM »
Okay, so this is a weird one:

I am literally allergic to whatever chemical they used to do the matte finish on the 2021 Tourney Pack and Munitorium manual. Like, if I touch the book or handle it for any amount of time, my asthma flares up and I need to use an inhaler, lest I be coughing for the next twenty minutes.

Two things:
1) Has anyone heard of this happening before?
2) What can I do about it?

The book is a really useful reference guide and not being able to touch it is a pain in the ass. Right now it's in a sealed ziploc bag in my wife's closet, because even sitting next to it at my desk was irritating my lungs. Google has turned up nothing, so I turn to you, 40KO. Any ideas? It's not like I can run it through the wash.

Wrapping it in cling film might work as it is airtight, but I suppose you would have to get someone to do it for you.
Quote from: Starrakatt
"Russ, get your work done or you won't see your damn console for the next month!"
Quote from: Cavalier
Honestly Alienscar, we get it... you dont like painting!

Offline Wyddr

  • Author Eminence: Hereticus Liber Daemonica | Fio'shas Shi
  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5252
  • Country: us
    • My blog about SF/F stuff
  • Armies: Daemons, Imperial Fists, Tau, Ksons, Vostroyans
Re: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« Reply #4 on: October 18, 2021, 08:51:16 AM »
The thing is, I'm not even 100% certain it's just the cover. When I flip the pages, it's like I'm gassing myself.

I've set it aside in a sealed ziploc bag for now. A friend of mine has offered to bring his over next time and we'll see if his is similarly treated. A trade may be in order. But this is weird.

New evidence this is not unique: was in a comic shop the other day (first time in years!) and was walking down the graphic novel isle and the same scent/chemical hit me. My throat started to close up, like, instantly. Got the beslubber out of there right away, did some puffs on the inhaler in the parking lot, and I was okay again, but DAMN. Publishing industry is trying to kill me in more ways than one, it seems.

Offline Sir_Godspeed

  • Lazerous Penguin
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2070
  • Country: no
  • "Bees. My God" was an obscure Batman quote.
Re: Allergic Reaction to GW Books?
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2021, 08:38:09 PM »
Damn, so it might be a more widely used printing chemical as opposed to a weird one-off aberration. That's a bit worrying.

My surface-level googling just gives examples of skin-irritation to printed materials, not airways. No idea what it could be.

 


Powered by EzPortal