The unhealthy effects caused by wood dust can be dramatically reduced by the use of a dust collector. In 2002 the U.S. government put saw dust on their list of “known carcinogens”, linking it to a variety of nose, throat, and lung cancers, making it an official health risk. Collecting and exhausting dust at its source, before it reaches you, is the most efficient way to deal with wood dust. That’s why woodworking machines — from table saws to disk sanders — come with exhaust hoods or ports.