 |
Auto Repair | Auto Body | Construction |
Print Shops
Certified Businesses Certification Criteria P2 Resources
Print shops can generate significant quantities of air pollutants and hazardous wastes through the use of inks, fountain solutions, and solvents used to clean presses. There are over 70 printers in the County, with about 45 shops in the city of Boulder.
Sources of Pollution from Print Shops
Printing consists of four general processes: imaging, plate-making, printing, and finishing. The waste streams associated with these processes and the pollution prevention alternatives are listed below
Waste Stream |
Health/Environmental Concerns |
Pollution Prevention Alternative |
| photographic imaging
- film - fixer solution |
silver contamination of water
solid waste |
-use computerized imaging to eliminate need for film, fixer, and developer
-recover silver from film and fixer -manage film inventory to eliminate waste from out-of-date supplies |
| paper, printing plates | solid waste | -recycle off-site |
| inks | may contain:
- VOCs which contribute to smog - heavy metals or other hazardous chemicals which may have environmental and health concerns |
-use inks with lower VOCs (vegetable-based or soy-based)
-manage inventory to avoid expired inks -centralize responsibility for mixing and distributing inks -train press operators to avoid over-mixing and overuse of inks -reuse and/or recycle inks |
| blanket and roller washes (solvents) | may contain:
- VOCs which contribute to smog - hazardous chemicals which may have environmental and health concerns |
-recycle on-site
-use low VOC solvents -keep lids on tight |
| isopropyl alcohol, fountain solutions | may contain:
- VOCs which contribute to smog - other hazardous chemicals which may have environmental and health concerns |
-reduce or eliminate isopropyl alcohol
-use alcohol replacement which does not contain other VOCs or HAPs |
| cleaning rags | may be saturated with solvents from cleaning presses | -use industrial laundering facility |
| finishing (binding) | solid waste | -recycle paper
-use water-based adhesives -use recyclable shipping materials |
Pollution Prevention Successes
Examples of pollution prevention measures implemented by print shops participating in the PACE program are listed below. Pollution prevention has resulted in significant cost savings for print shops. In addition, many shops have mentioned reduced worker sick days and improved worker health as a result of reduced VOC emissions from washes and isopropyl alcohol.
Pollution Prevention Measures for Print Shops
| Waste Stream | Pollution Prevention Measure | Benefits |
| blanket wash (solvents) | switched to water miscible washes | improved worker health and safety,
reduced emissions of VOCs |
| reduced or eliminated isopropyl alcohol (IPA) from fountain solution | upgraded rollers
monitor fountain solution chemistry |
improved worker health and safety,
reduced emissions of VOCs, lower costs |
| inks | use strong, soy-based ink | improved worker health and safety, reduced solid and hazardous waste as a result of increased ink consistency and reduced set-up,
reduced ink purchases resulting in lower costs |