Ink at a glance:

• The challenge of greener ink
• Greener ink options
• Re-nourish recommendations for greener ink

Interestingly enough, vegetable-based inks were once the gold standard for printing presses prior to WWII. As industrialization took hold, petroleum quickly replaced the flaxseed, cottonseed, and linseed oils once used. But, sadly, opting for cheap and easy — this time in the form of petroleum-based inks — has left us with some serious problems. Offset inks generally consist of a pigment (the color), a base medium (the stuff that carries the color to the paper), and additives or solvents (the stuff that helps everything play nice together). This composition changes depending on many variables, so get to know your pressman or woman: they can tell you exactly how they do things in their own operations. In the meantime, designers should be aware of the following ink issues:

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs): When petroleum-based inks dry on press, they release VOCs into the air. VOCs, unfortunately for the press workers who handle the inks and those who breath the air nearby, are carcinogens responsible for everything from respiratory irritation and nausea to liver, kidney, and central nervous system damage, and possibly even cancer. VOCs can also result in smog or other greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change (EPA).
• Toxic solvents and cleaners: Solvents and additives are mixed into inks on press to help them adhere to paper, and used to clean ink from the press. When dumped into the waste stream (either as-is, or when cleaning materials are laundered), they can contaminate ground and water, impacting both human health and wildlife. The solvents on press often produce more VOCs than the inks themselves, contributing to worker safety issues and even climate change.
• Heavy metals: The most toxic heavy metals (cadmium, arsenic, mercury, antimony, lead, and selenium) are strictly regulated in the U.S., but many inks still contain trace heavy metals that may be harmful to human health and wildlife habitats when accumulated in the waste stream. Obviously, metallic inks contain the highest proportion of heavy metals, but fluorescent inks and certain spot colors may also contain elevated levels of copper, barium, zinc, and cobalt.
• Waste material:Finally, as with all manufacturing processes, what happens to the waste is always an issue. U.S. manufacturers produce about 2 billion pounds of ink every year, and all those chemicals end up somewhere. Thoughtful printing procedures and upgraded equipment enable printers to reduce the amount of ink waste they have to do deal with, and they can participate in recycling programs to handle the rest. Working closely with your printer can reveal new ways to reduce waste.

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While few solutions are perfect, designers do have some very good options when it comes to choosing inks. The key to remember is that there is no silver bullet; you may have to do a little legwork to discover just what kind of ink your printer is using.

• Look for low-VOC inks first: The vast majority of petroleum-based inks produce around 30% VOCs. Just because an ink uses a plant base, however, doesn't mean its VOC levels are much lower. Ask your printer for the VOC level of their inks, and look for a VOC level of 5% or less. If your printer doesn't know this information (although, by law, they must), you can ask for the brand they use and check the MSDS (material safety data sheet; available from the ink manufacturer).
• Opt for vegetable-based or soy-based inks: Veggie- and soy-based inks are probably your next best bet, as they rely mainly on renewable (though, often. genetically-modified) materials. These inks may still have some levels of petroleum in the base, but they typically require less ink overall, fewer cleaning chemicals, and are easier to de-ink during the recycling process. Note: to bear the SoySeal logo, an ink generally only needs to contain 7%-20% soybeal oil. Again, this information is available from your printer or the brand's MSDS.
• Consider UV curable inks: UV inks have come a long way since first introduced. They have much lower VOC emissions than other inks, and require fewer solvents since the ink only dries when exposed to ultraviolet rays (which also keeps presses moving more efficiently). Keep in mind, though, that UV inks generally don't contain any plant-based (renewable) material, and may or may not use more energy during the curing process. Re-nourish is still weighing the environmental pros and cons of UV inks, but currently believes they are a slightly better alternative to full petroleum-based inks.

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While ink chemistry changes (sometimes dramatically) depending on press type, substrate, ink brand, and individual printer practices, this roadmap can help you choose the best options for your next project. Greener ink should:

• Be used sparingly. The more ink on the page, the more solvents needed on press, more waste for the printer to dispose of, and more energy needed (both on press and during recycling).
• Contain a predominantly bio-based medium (linseed, cottonseed, tung, flaxseed, soybean, or other agriculturally-derived oils).
• SProduce VOC levels of 5% or less.
• Not include heavy metals (found in most fluorescent and metallic inks).
• Be sourced from local vendors.
• Require only nontoxic solvents and additives on press.
• Be part of an ink recycling or recovery program on press (ask your printer how they handle their press waste).
• Be easily de-inked during the recycling process.

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