Number

128-EN

Section

General Section

Use

Abstract

A number of methods for substitution of chemicals specific to the printing industry have been developed and tested. The results of this work are described in a report and have in addition been integrated in a prototype of a software tool. This report and particularly the final version of the software can support graphic industry in the process of chemical substitution.

Substituted substances

Alternative Substances

Reliability of information

Internet information: data are from an internet document and only a basic and partial evaluation could be performed

Reason substitution

CMR
ecotoxicity

Other type of alternative

Computer-to-plate technology

Hazard Assessment

Substance to be substituted: Hydroquinone is suspected of causing cancer, is suspected of causing genetic defects, is very toxic to aquatic life, is harmful if swallowed, causes serious eye damage, and may cause an allergic skin reaction.. Alternative substances: The alternatives do not contain hydroquinone. Substance to be substituted: The product formerly used contained (2-methoxymethylethoxy)propanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, γ- butyrolactone, distillates (petroleum) hydrotreated light. Alternative substance: The alternative contains distillates (petroleum) hydrotreated light. This substance may be fatal if swallowed and enters airways.

Description of Substitution

In a project in the printing industry the usage of chemicals has been analysed. The result of this analysis has shown a significant potential for substitution in the Danish printing industry. Approximately a third of the 600 analysed substances (out of a total of approximately 2,000 occurring substances) was categorised as being especially problematic for the environment and/or health. Since substitution of chemicals can be a difficult process and as there were no accessible supportive tools, targeting the printing industry, this project aimed to develop and test industry specific counselling methods for substitution of chemicals. As a result, a prototype of a software tool was implemented. Five companies participated in this project. Tools were elaborated and tested, substitution processes described, and the substitutions were assessed with regard to occupational and environmental safety and health. In all cases concrete substitutions of chemical products or measurable reductions in their use of chemical products resulted from this project. Environmental and health effects of the substitutions were difficult to assess due to limited information on the material safety data sheet for the products. Two fully implemented substitutions are described in the following text. Offset printing company A Two products containing hydroquinone according to the materials safety datasheet were used: printing ink and a plate developer. In a meeting concerning the printing ink, the supplier stated that hydroquinone was already substituted, but the report does not mention the alternative substance. In a dialogue with the producer of the plate developer, the supplier stated that it was not possible to substitute hydroquinone. In consequence, the printing replaced their old computer-to-plate (CTP) technology with a new CTP technology where there was no need for a developer. Offset printing company AC During the project substitution of a manual cleaning agent (CPS farvefjerner OxA) with a MAL code number 2-1 to a cleaning agent (Saphira Nordic Wash) with a MAL code number 1-1 was fully implemented. For an explanation of MAL factor see this Subsport link: http://www.subsportplus.eu/substitution-tools/determination-and-work-with-code-numbered-products-mal-code. The cleaning routines had to be changed to achieve the same quality, but the same amount of cleaning agent was used and no more waste was produced. The product formerly used contained (2-methoxymethylethoxy)propanol, 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, ?- butyrolactone, distillates (petroleum) hydrotreated light. The alternative contains distillates (petroleum) hydrotreated light. During the project the company also reduced the concentration of alcohol in the damping water from 9 or 10% to 7% on all printing machines.

Case/substitution evaluation

Company A. The substitution of the printing ink could not be assessed in detail because the content of the alternative is not known to SUBSPORTplus. The substitution to a computer-to-plate technology without hydroquinone is an alternative less hazardous. Company C. Taking into account, that the amount of cleaning agent in the waste water is negligible. In the project the substitution is assessed differently from two different perspectives. The evaporation of volatiles will be lower. Concerning waste water the alternative might contain substances toxic to aquatic environment, but the amount of cleaning agent in the waste water is assessed as negligible.

State of implementation

Full capacity

Date and place of implementation

40549

Type of information supplier

Authority

Type of publication and availability

Freely available at http://www.mst.dk

Publication source: author, company, institute, year

Miljøstyrelsen - Danish EPA http://www.mst.dk

Publication source

Type of publication and availability

http://www2.mst.dk/udgiv/publikationer/2011/01/978-87-92708-81-6/978-87-92708-81-6.pdf

Date, reviewed

December 11, 2020