VOC In The Printing Industry

1
Volatile Organic Compounds
2
Definition of VOC

• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are organic
  chemical compounds that have high enough vapor
  pressures under normal conditions to
  significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere.
• The U.S. EPAs definition of a VOC is any organic
  compound that participates in a photochemical
  reaction.

3
Sources of VOC

• Common artificial sources of VOCs include
• Paint thinners
• Cleaning solvents
• Gasoline
• Natural gas
• Crude oil

• Common sources of VOCs in the printing
  industry
• Inks
• Cleaning solvents used to clean plates

4
Environmental Effects of VOCs

• Damages Soil
• Contaminates Groundwater
• Pollutes Air
• They react with nitrogen oxides and sunlight to
  form ozones at low level
• Low level ozone poses a health threat and can
  damage crops and buildings

5
Printing Process and Ink

• Printing inks and coatings used in the
  commercial graphic printing industry contain VOCs
  in varying amounts, depending on the type of ink,
  the drying and printing processes, substrates and
  end-use application requirements.
• The following table lists the different
  printing processes and their VOC usage.

6
Printing Process and Ink Cont...

• Offset Lithographic Printing
• 25-35 VOC content in Inks
• Ink Manufacturers now produce 0-10 VOC
  content Inks

• Web Offset Coldset Inks
• 5-30 VOC content In coldset Inks
• Petroleum distillates Inks have low volatility

• Rotogravure
• Water-based gravure inks have successfully
  replaced high VOC containing solvent-based
  gravure inks

• Flexographic Inks
• Inks contain alcohol and esters
• (50-70 concentration)
• Use Solvent Recovery System
• Water Based Inks are available

7
Steps to Reduce VOC Emissions

• The most desirable target for VOC
• Emissions to air is zero. Achieving
• this involves avoiding the use of any
• solvents that produce VOC emissions.
• This is practical for some printing
• applications, in particular where paper
• or cardboard substrates are being
• printed.
• To find alternatives for current
• solvents refer to
• http//es.epa.gov/issds

• Hierarchy for VOC reduction
• Avoid VOC emissions altogether by the use of
  non-VOC based ink systems
• Use low-VOC ink systems or otherwise substitute
  VOCs that are less photo-chemically reactive.
• The use of end-of-pipe treatment options should
  only be considered for very large VOC emissions
  which cannot be eliminated by other means.

8
CTG (Control Techniques Guideline)

• Contains guidance (recommendations) by U.S. EPA
  to states on how to control VOC emissions
• Not a national regulation
• Applies to printers in ozone nonattainment areas
• States with ozone nonattainment areas must take
  action by October 5, 2007

9
Current Ozone Nonattainment Areas by
Classification as of November 2006
10
Other VOC Producing Industries

• Adhesive sealant use
• Surface cleaning
• Printing
• Film coating
• Timber preservation
• Crude oil production
• Oil refineries
• Chemical industry
• Alcoholic drinks manufacturer

• Paint manufacturer
• Vehicle manufacturer
• Furniture
• Agrochemical
• Industrial fuel combustion
• Bread baking
• Gas industry
• Rubber processing
• Pharmaceuticals

11
References

• Consumer and Commercial Product Regulation and
  Lithographic Printing by Gary Jones,
  Director, Environmental Health and Safety
  Affairs.
• U.S. EPAs New Air Pollution Regulation for
  Printers by Gary Jones, Director,
  Environmental Health and Safety Affairs.