Inks and Chemicals — Environmental Challenges

Dake adds that all conventional lithographic inks used by Anderson Lithograph utilize soy-based oil ink formulations for both heatset web and sheetfed printing operations. Anderson has been authorized to use the SoySeal trademark on its printing.

"We have reduced the average petroleum-based solvent content of our conventional ink formulations from 29 percent to less than 22 percent, utilizing the combination of soy-based oils and other materials that have either none, or substantially reduced, concentrations of VOCs," she says. "This represents a 24 percent reduction of VOC content in our standard ink formulations."

As environmental standards set forth by the EPA, OSHA, state and local governing bodies intensifies, so does the pressure upon manufacturers to comply with the most updated edicts. That in itself can be a tough task, according to Duane Ness, director of manufacturing services for Flint Ink.