Printing Inks and the Environment

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Introduction
According to EPA's National Emissions Inventories (NEI), the domestic printing industry ranks
fifth in volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) emissions among major industries. To put this
ranking in perspective, consider that the automobile industry ranks sixth, behind printing.
Pollution emitted from the U.S. printing industry is dispersed among 34,146 firms, with 70% of
them employing less than 10 employees (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). When non-
employers and printing-related support activities are included, the number climbs to 65,735
organizations. The small size of most printing shops allows them to be exempt from federal
regulations under the Appropriations Act (although more stringent statewide regulations may be
in effect). If a business emits 20 or fewer pounds of VOC’s per day, they are exempt from
obtaining a Minor Facility Registration from the U.S. EPA. Reducing pollution in the printing
industry is a unique challenge, as change is voluntary for the majority of print shops. Pollution
from the printing industry, primarily emissions from varnish preparation, is disperse and difficult
to track. Finally, small-scale printers rarely have the capital available for improvements or
process reengineering, adding difficulty to advancements in environmental stewardship.