Sorry, no quick answer to your question!! The following is taken partly from a MSDS report on the safety of Acrylic fumes.
" one consideration with vaporization cutting is the removal of the cut byproducts. In the case of Plexiglas, this is menthyl methacrylate, a danderous vapor when breathed, even in minute concentrations. Cauction should be used when cutting all non-metalic, but especially polymers. A Simple rule of thumb: if you can smell it, exaust it."
I would go further and add that not all toxic vapors have a smell, so I would tend to exaust when cutting any polymer, ablating paint, engraving composites like MDF, etc.
It is difficult to find conclusive evidence as to the toxicity of cutting a particular material. One MSDS report stated that the most serious hazard for Acrylic was the cuts due to sharp edges on the sheet. Since you can't injest sheet plastic or breath it, they make it sound like it is inert and 100% safe. No comments on breathing the dust from sanding, turning, polishing, laser cutting, sawing, or the outgassing during heating for bending.
NIOSH has some toxicity information on their website, but applying for the information is difficult. They will tell you how many parts-per-million of methacrylate will kill a rat, this is not useful information, as we want to know "safe" levels for people. Also most people do not have the equipment to measure ppm of a chemical in the air.
It's long, but it is the most indirect answer I could find. Jim S
Todd: If you have any questions, let me know.
