Wide Format Imaging

It is estimated that there are more than 70,000 print shops in the US. And although the average commercial print shop is not a major source of pollution, there is a gathering body of knowledge indicating that these thousands of shops—collectively—can cause serious harm to the environment as well as negatively impact the health and safety of the workers employed in them.

At the same time, more and more end customers want to transfer their printing needs from conventional printing methods and inks to those that are more environmentally preferable. It is for these reasons that many in the printing industry are looking at all avenues to become more environmentally responsible.

Some of the big concerns include the use of chemicals that may adversely affect air quality, resulting in the formation of ground-level ozone or smog, or disposal of chemicals by pouring them down drains, potentially harming waterways and ecosystems. Recognizing these problems, in 1999 EcoLogo, an independent, third-party Green-certification organization with offices in Canada and the US, introduced criteria (CCD-040) that help print shops demonstrate environmental responsibility by reducing the amount of pollutants they emit.

We now know that the manufacture, use, and disposal of conventional printing inks frequently involve the use of heavy metals and petroleum distillates, and inks often contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs), all of which introduce considerable environmental hazards. Reducing these will help protect the environment and prevent adverse health effects.

Minimizing the use of petroleum distillates helps conserve nonrenewable resources, promoting sustainability by providing for today's needs without limiting or eliminating the ability of future generations to provide for themselves. Further, reducing VOCs helps protect indoor air quality, which can improve working conditions and the health of print shop workers.