Printing -- Lithography Topic Hub

Fact sheet offers alternative suggestions to petroleum based inks.

AIGA, the professional association for design, is committed to furthering excellence in design as a broadly-defined discipline, strategic tool for business and cultural force. AIGA is the place design professionals turn to first to exchange ideas and information, participate in critical analysis and research and advance education and ethical practice.

This work examined various environmental, health, and safety aspects of two comparable printing technologies i.e. offset lithographic and electrophotographic digital printing, and evaluated their impacts on the environment and health & safety of the workers. It also studied the environmental behavior of these technologies with respect to print volume, and provides information to print manufacturers on the same so that they can use this information while deciding on technological selection. An effort has been made to bring attention of the print manufacturers towards the key environmental, health, and safety issues that will help them understand the importance of pollution prevention and safe work operations.

Fact sheet provides a brief description of some OSHA record keeping and training regulation steps

Fact sheet on how to determine if your RCRA required records are in order

This publication presents the methods and resources needed to conduct a cleaner technologies substitutes assessment (CTSA), a methodology for evaluating the comparative risk, performance, cost, and resource conservation of alternatives to chemicals currently used by specific industry sectors.

A technical report that presents the performance, cost, and risk information developed by the EPA Design for the Environment (DfE) Lithographic Project. It evaluates 37 blanket wash solutions that are used to remove ink and debris in printing press rollers.

This research report provides guidelines from which a print technology comparison process can be derived for application to specific presses within a print production operation. Each print technology involves different technical considerations for the evaluation of materials and energy consumption and the generation of waste. Each press model based on similar technology and even the same model of press operated in two different production environments will show a different utilization of resources based on modifications, operation parameters, and the type of consumables used.

A list of potential sources of pollution to the air, water, and land commonly found in a lithographic printing plant that may be subject to permitting and/or special waste disposal and reporting requirements.

This control techniques guidance (CTG) addresses both the offset lithographic printing industry and the letterpress printing industry. Although offset lithographic printing and letterpress printing are two distinct product categories on the section 183(e) list, they have many similarities in the types of inks and cleaning materials used, the sources of VOC emissions, and the controls available to address those emissions. We therefore address both categories in this CTG. The CTG is intended to provide state and local air pollution control authorities information that should assist them in determining reasonably available control technologies for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) for offset lithographic printing and letterpress printing. In developing this CTG, EPA, among other things, evaluated the sources of VOC emissions from these printing industries and the available control approaches for addressing these emissions, including the costs of such approaches. Based on available information and data, EPA provides recommendations for RACT for offset lithographic printing and letterpress printing.

Fact sheet describing the benefits and uses of alternative blanket washes for lithographic printers.

In plant activities that reduce chemical usage

Use this bulletin to compare the performance, cost, and health and environmental benefits of vegetable ester blanket washes with your current wash. This information can help you get started in finding the best substitute blanket wash for you.

This worksheet helps you compare test blanket washes to your normal wash to help you find the best wash for your shop.

A preliminary pollution prevention (P2) factors methodology was developed using a streamlined lifecycle assessment (LCA) approach.

A case study on the use of lower vapor pressure cleaning solvents at a foam cup and food container manufacturing company.

This monograph reviews several key aspects of environmental management in the lithographic printing industry and forms the foundation for future research.

Advice on using a company's positive environmental changes to attract customers.

Discussion of paper types (recycled vs. post consumer content). Includes statistics.

Introduces a hazardous waste audit study for the commercial printing industry.

The study provides an overview of regulations affecting the commercial printing industry.

Fourth edition of Monadnock Paper Mills' instructional how-to guide for creating more sustainable print materials.

Allows the user to list the most frequently cited Federal or State OSHA standards for a NAICS code.

Commercial printers, who include lithographers, gravure printers, flexographers, and letterpress and screen printers, generate a variety of wastes during printing operations. The manual largely addresses the wastes and waste minimization options for offset lithographers. Waste that can be disposed of in trash include some waste paper; film; empty containers; used blankets; and damaged products and other items. The wastes result from image processing, plate making, proof making, printing, and finishing processes. Another form of waste - wastewater - results from image processing, plate making, and printing processes. Equipment cleaning wastes and air emissions are other categories of waste. Much of the waste paper generated can be recycled.

The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) (29 CFR 1910.1200(g)), revised in 2012, requires that the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer provide Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) (formerly MSDSs or Material Safety Data Sheets) for each hazardous chemical to downstream users to communicate information on these hazards. The information contained in the SDS is largely the same as the MSDS, except now the SDSs are required to be presented in a consistent user-friendly, 16-section format. This brief provides guidance to help workers who handle hazardous chemicals to become familiar with the format and understand the contents of the SDSs.

Fact sheet offers basic information contained within an SDS (formerly called MSDS) form.

Fact sheet that discusses techniques increasing opportunities to prevent, reuse, and recycle waste ink

Publication offering regional news and trends in the graphic arts and printing industries.

Publication dedicated to in-plant management with news, editorials and new technology information

The only professional association dedicated exclusively to the needs of all in-house corporate publishing, printing, and distribution professionals.

Alternative solvents, implementing and reducing amount of solvent used

Overview discussion of the company's waste reduction and pollution prevention program and accomplishments

Guidelines to follow for managing soiled shop towels

General guidance on reducing and managing solvent wastes for printers. (PDF format; Length: 4 pages)

Use this calculator to determine the environmental impact of specifying PCW recycled content paper made carbon neutral with 100% renewable electricity.

Air monitoring information for the printing industry from U.S. EPA.

Includes a multimedia assessment protocol that utilizes a process-based approach in which the inspector identifies noncompliance with any applicable media or program specific regulation (air, water, solid waste) as well as pollution prevention and innovative technology opportunities as part of the assessment of individual printing processes. This assessment protocol serves as a reference for the conduct of these assessments, and includes procedures, an assessment checklist, and an example assessment report. It focuses on lithographic printing facilities only, and addresses prepress (image processing and platemaking), press (makeready and printing), and postpress (finishing) operations. An overview of lithographic printing processes is contained in Section 1 of this guidance. (PDF Format; 91 pages)

Association that provides direction to management in regulations and regulatory compliance related to printing inks.

Discusses how to minimize ink waste by combining small amounts of inks into black ink.

Written by Gary Jones of the Graphic Arts Technical Foundation. Federal regulatory information related to PBTs. (PDF format; Length: 12 pages)

Fact sheet discusses alternative plate developing systems and electronic prepress

A fact sheet on emission reduction through use of alternatives to isopropyl alcohol fountain solution additives; includes tips on how to make the switch

Quick guide to pollution prevention for lithographic printers. Includes a process flow diagram and list of P2 areas and strategies for each step in the process.

P2 checklist to perform P2 assessments

Provides an overview of printing industry processes and identifies pollution prevention opportunities.

A tip sheet guide for waste reduction steps

Pollution prevention self-assessment checklist for commercial printing companies.

Basic overview of wastes generated by the printing industry and a brief example of how one printing company reduced their waste generation.

Fact sheet discusses and explains elements in the OSHA Hazard Communication Program

The rule requires existing and new major sources to control emissions using the maximum achievable control technology (MACT) to control hazardous air pollutants (HAP). The final rule includes organic HAP emission limits for publication rotogravure, product and packaging rotogravure, and wide-web flexographic printing. A variety of organic HAP are used as solvents and components of inks and other materials used by printers. The HAP emitted by the facilities covered by this final rule include xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, methanol, ethylene glycol, and certain glycol ethers. All of these pollutants can cause reversible or irreversible toxic effects following exposure.

Publication with news, federal news and articles on new technologies and industry trends

PRINTING United Alliance is a trade association built by and for printers and professionals in the industrial, graphic, apparel, textile, electronics, packaging and commercial printing markets. Source for technical and management solutions, research, training, and environmental and safety compliance information.

Provides an overview of the basic federal regulations covering wastes that are likely to be hazardous in your business. It also provides recycling and pollution prevention options to help businesses decrease the amount of hazardous waste they produce.

Handbook offers basic record keeping information for EPA, RCRA and OSHA

Case study of a lithographic printer in Georgia that installed a rag centrifuge and solvent recovery still. Includes payback and cost savings information.

Toronto’s ChemTRAC program includes an Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 423) that requires local businesses to track and report their use and release of 25 priority substances. The ChemTRAC program provides an opportunity for you to identify strategies for improving your environmental performance. Strategies include those that reduce the use and release of the 25 priority substances. Strategies may also reduce the use and release of other chemicals that may have a health and/or an environmental
impact. This Greening Resource for Printing and Publishing Sector will help you understand the chemicals that you are using and find ways to reduce or eliminate their use.

This booklet is designed to help printers evaluate their current blanket wash and compare it to substitute blanket washes. How safe are they
to use? How do they perform? How much do they cost to use? What are their environmental risks?

Links to state regulations, searchable databases.

The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) maintains the Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation and coordinates implementation of state legislation, based on the Model, on behalf of its member states, with the goal of promoting consistency across states. TPCH is a resource and single point of contact for companies seeking information on toxics in packaging requirements or an exemption.

Fact sheet discusses revisions to air pollution permitting requirements

The Waste Reduction Innovative Technology Evaluation (WRITE) project quantifies and compares wastes generated from the use of soy-based and petroleum-based inks in sheet-fed offset printing. Four petroleum-based inks and four soy-based inks were studied in a 4400 sheet work-and-turn print job. The amounts of each ink used, each cleaner used, wastes on cleaning rags, and wastes in the wash-up trays were measured for each print run. Each ink and each cleaner was analyzed for total solids and volatiles content. Quantities of air emissions, liquid wastes, solid wastes and costs were estimated and compared for the two print runs.

Offers tips where VOC contents can be found in printing products and supplies.