Technology for paper/printing? How much pollution?

INK Some inks present health and environmental hazards because they may contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contribute to air pollution and lead to the formation of smog, and because they may contain hazardous constituents such as heavy metals or toxic stabilizers. Product substitution and/or effective ink management can help reduce risk of exposure to these hazards, and can reduce waste.

1. Have you considered the following alternative inking systems: heat-reactive inks UV-cured ink systems electron-beam-dried ink systems 2. Have you considered less hazardous inks such as soy- and water-based inks (for non-lithographic printers), and inks which do not contain metals? 3. Are ink fountains filled according to expected needs, as opposed to routine filling? 4. Are ink containers properly sealed after use? 5. Do you schedule, when possible, similar-color jobs simultaneously to reduce waste generation between cleanup and start of next run? 6. Do you recycle or reuse old inks for marketing as "house colors" (Note that the quality of inks mixed with a variety of additives may be affected over time.) 7. Have you considered computer ink blending programs to minimize waste of special, uncommon inks? (This option is more appropriate for larger printers). 8. Have you considered either on-site or off-site ink recycling? (Typically, very large volumes of ink are needed to make this option feasible.) 9. Do you prevent ink from drying or skinning inside the fountain? Good operation practices such as keeping ink containers sealed and contents leveled, as well as anti-skinning sprays can help reduce waste ink.