ibfEFif* Partnership Dear Colleague: : i The Flexography Partnership's Steering Committee is pleased to present the enclosed new information tools for flexographic printers. As you may know, the Flexography Partnership is a voluntary collaboration between representatives of the flexographic industry and the U.S. EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) Program. The major effort conducted by the partnership was an evaluation of the environmental; human health, performance, and cost aspects of solvent-based, water-based, and ultra- violet cured ink systems. The results of this study were published last February — Flexographic Ink Options: A Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA). Key information elements from the CTSA have been condensed into shorter outreach pieces to pro- vide printers with quick, practical information. These new outreach pieces are designed to help printers include environmental, health, and safety considerations into their everyday decisions in the shop. We hope these materials become valuable tools in your efforts to protect worker health and the environment while running a successful printing enterprise. For more information, please contact a participating association or the Design for the Environment Program. All of the Flexography Partnership's materials are available on the DfE website gt http://www.epa.gov/dfe/projects/flexo. Sincerely, Stephen L. Johnson Assistant Administrator Office of Prevention, Pesticides, and Toxic Substances U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . XI ;CoBert''Bateman : (representing California Film Extruders & Converters Association, and the Film & Bag Federation) Roplast Industries George Fujchs Manager of Environmental Affairs and Information Systems National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers Doreen M. Monteleone Director of Membership & Environmental Services . • •;.'-- Flexographic Technical Association Gary M. Cohen Executive Director RadTech International, N.A. Ram Singhal Director, Technology & Regulatory Affairs Flexible Packaging Association Norma S. Fox Executive Director California Film Extruders & Converters Association t^n-^ ^- /jP^TK /' A V / ,<>, \ •/xr~~t\ i/\nww.epa.gov/dfe_ wwv\:.cfeqa.o;rg wmrw.flexpack.org wwwiflexography.org www.napim.org www.radtech.org wWwJplasticbag.com ------- |