Print Buying Direct

Environmentally Aware Printing – Getting rid of empty ink containers – 3rd February 2010
Empty, dry ink containers are not hazardous waste and, for those not designed for return and re-use, landfill is currently the best available disposal option. However, this is seen as waste of a valuable resource and a strain of limited landfill capacity.

The incineration of plastics is an effective alternative. Their high calorific values (42 KJ/kg for polythene – greater than high grade coal) make them a valuable fuel source.

Opportunities for cleaning and recycling of containers, particularly large drums, are widely available and should be used wherever possible.

Pressure for recycling is increasing but it is essential when considering recycling as an option that the correct infrastructure is in place to cope with demand.

We are actively discussing the implications of all these trends with our suppliers.

Environmentally Aware Printing – Disposal of print
The ink on printed materials is classed as a contaminant, along with labels, adhesives etc. In practice, the amount of dried ink is so small that it constitutes only a minor contaminant.

Recycling
Recycling of paper is now common and the associated de-inking processes well established. Most recycling of plastic is currently of undecorated material so the information on the effect of ink is limited. Preliminary studies have shown that diarylide yellow pigments will degrade is too high hazardous breakdown products if the reprocessing temperature is too high (above 240ºC). Diarylide yellows are used in printing inks and for producing self-coloured plastics. It is therefore recommended that, generally, coloured plastic material should not be heated above 240ºC.

Incineration
It is generally accepted that printing ink films do not contain any materials that would inhibit the suitability of printed matter for incineration. At the very high temperatures involved, inks, with their very low levels of chlorine and sulphur, will not contribute to the production of toxic emissions.

Landfill
We do not believe that the ink film will have any effect on the anaerobic degradability of printed matter in a landfill.

Peter Harrison is Joint Managing Director of The Printing House Ltd,
and Print Buying Direct of Crewe, Cheshire, UK.

Print Buying Direct are UK market Leaders in Leaflet Printing | Brochure Printing.

For more free articles on Printing and Graphic Design see our Online Printing | Print Buying Direct
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For more information on printing and graphic design please see some of our recent blog articles;

• Environmentally Aware Printing – Disposing of inks
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Water-based inks and coatings
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Ultraviolet (UV) inks
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Re-use and recycling of printing inks
• Environmentally Aware Printing – Bio-degradability of inks

Print Buying Direct is the online division and a Trading Name of The Printing House Ltd. One of the UK’s leading quality printing companies for short run, long run and wide format colour printing. Based in Crewe, Cheshire, in the North West of England – delivering to customers across the UK and Ireland.

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Tags: brochure printing, environmentally aware printing, leaflet printing

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