“Non-Toxic” or “Safe” Resins: Is There Such a Thing?

People search for non-toxic resin because they want to create without harming themselves or their families. What is the catch? “Non-toxic” is a fuzzy promise. Toxicity is not a yes/no label - it is about how much you are exposed to and how that exposure happens. In this post, we will translate the science into plain language so you can make smarter choices for deep-pour, coating, and art epoxies.

Resin toxicity in plain language: dose + route

A substance can be hazardous if you touch it (skin or eyes), breathe it (lungs), or swallow it (digestive system). Scientists evaluate each route separately because dose and exposure route shape risk. Small doses might be harmless; large doses might not be. Even water can be “toxic” at absurdly high amounts - that is why dose matters. Regulators and medical bodies use thresholds for different effects via different routes to judge risk.

A quick analogy

Table salt is a chemical. It can be toxic. We mainly eat it, so its oral thresholds matter most. Nobody worries about inhaling salt under normal conditions (although it matters for certain industries/cases). That is how route-specific risk works.

Apply the same principle to epoxy

Epoxy systems are two-part: (A) resin and (B) hardener. Before and during partial cure, some ingredients can irritate eyes/skin, trigger allergies, or, for certain additives, present more serious hazards. Poorly formulated, cured, sanded, or overheated epoxy can release dust/fumes you should not breathe. The most significant everyday risks for makers are skin contact with liquid-phase resin and hardener, and poor ventilation when working with systems that are made with raw materials that possess respiratory dangers. Epoxy/amine resin systems are known skin sensitizers in liquid form (once sensitized, tiny exposures can cause reactions).

Bottom line: “safer” epoxy means lowering realistic exposure through better ingredients and better practices - not pretending risk is zero.

Industrial vs. DIY epoxies

Industrial epoxies often chase extreme performance (fast cure at low temperatures, saltwater/UV/solvent resistance, fast return-to-service). Pushing performance sometimes means using aggressive curing agents or accelerators that raise hazard profiles, especially by inhalation during spray work or by skin contact during application. 

DIY epoxies usually promise “low odour,” “no VOCs,” or even “non-toxic.” Some are genuinely formulated more conservatively. Others quietly use cheaper additives that help with mix ratio convenience, low viscosity, or speed of cure, but come with baggage. The label might say “safe,” yet the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) can tell a different story, or, in more extreme cases, the SDS may conceal essential information about the nature of the product. We saw this before. 

Common red-flag ingredients

Nonylphenol (NP): used historically as an accelerator/modifier in many art/coating type hardeners. Restricted in the EU. Please read our blog about nonylphenol.

Glycidyl ether reactive diluents are used to dilute the resin:

O-Cresyl glycidyl ether (o-CGE) - skin irritant/sensitizer; reactive diluent for lowering viscosity. 

Phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE)—potential occupational carcinogen; sensitizer/irritant. 

n-Butyl glycidyl ether (BGE)—skin/eye/respiratory irritant; sensitizer; CNS effects at higher exposure. 

Our stance at Nerpa Polymers

We prioritize ingredient choices that significantly lower realistic risk for home users:

Our products are formulated without nonylphenol and problematic glycidyl-ether reactive diluents like o-CGE or PGE.

No added solvents and not intended for spraying, which drastically reduces inhalation concerns in normal brush/pour use.

We still treat every epoxy as a skin sensitizer - because that is the responsible, science-based approach. 

Nitrile gloves are great protection against epoxy sensitization/irritation.

Even with safer formulations, the fundamentals do not change: use gloves, keep skin clean, work with decent airflow if epoxy is sprayed/sanded partially cured, and do not ingest the stuff (obvious, but it needs saying). Cured epoxy is generally “practically non-toxic,” but sanding/cutting produces dust you should never breathe - use extraction and a suitable respirator.

Practical safety for DIY resin work

• Protect skin first. Wear nitrile gloves (change them the moment they are contaminated).Clean small smears with soap + water or isopropyl alcohol; don’t wash with solvents that can drive chemicals into skin.

  If you develop redness/itching, stop and reassess. 

• Manage air sensibly. For pour/brush applications with solvent-free systems, general ventilation is usually enough; add local exhaust for larger projects or warm rooms.
  

  Spraying any epoxy is a different risk category - special ventilation and respiratory protection are mandatory; most DIY products are not designed for spray. 

• Control the chemistry. Measure accurately; scrape cup walls; mix thoroughly.

  Avoid large masses that can overheat/exotherm unexpectedly - use shallow trays, smaller pours, or staged layers.

• Choose resin systems wisely. Prefer products that do not contain questionable raw materials and nonylphenol.
• Trust the SDS over marketing. Look for GHS hazard statements, signal words, and ingredient names. If a vendor will not supply the SDS, that is your answer - choose another product.

Are “non-toxic epoxies” real?

If we stick to regulatory and medical definitions, no epoxy should be branded “completely non-toxic.” Every system has dose-dependent thresholds and route-specific risks. That said, some products are demonstrably safer to use than others because of smarter ingredient choices and realistic instructions. We aim for the latter at Nerpa: reduce hazard where we can, be transparent where we can’t, and promote simple practices that keep makers safe.