: I received a respirator for Christmas, an MSA Safety Works respirator for
: multi-purpose use.
: It's supposed to be good for Paint fumes, pesticides, lead fumes, Ammonia,
: asbestos, toxic dusts, certain gases and odors. The complete description
: of what it's good for is at http://tech-geeks.org/tiny.php?url=2540

: Seems like it should be good for epoxy, no?

: What concerns me is it came in one of those clear plastic packages that hangs
: on a hook and is held together by a couple of plastic snaps. This is by no
: means an airtight package. The two filter cartridges were not in plastic
: bags inside the package. It was my understanding that the type of
: cartridges we want for epoxy should be stored in airtight bags when not in
: use.

: Either these aren't the right type of cartridges, or they are carelessly
: packaged (I doubt it), or someone else had bought this respirator, tried
: it on, returned it, and didn't put the cartridges back in their storage
: bags.

: I'd hate to use this thing thinking I'm protected when maybe the cartridges
: have been compromised by who knows how long an exposure to air.

You're probably right in your assessment and I would at least try to take it back and exchange it for an unopened respirator. However, this is more of an issue of getting your money's worth than one of risk. While one SHOULD store an organic vapor respirator in an airtight bag, I don't know many people who do it religiously (myself included). Testing the respirator with ammonia or lacquer thinner will tell you if it fits right and if the cartridges are working properly. If you can't smell anything, you're safe. If you can smell any fumes, either the mask isn't sealing on your face properly (a common problem for guys with beards) or the cartridges are spent, in which case you should definitely exchage the mask and get a fresh one.