United States Environmental Protection Agency Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances (7406) EPA 744-F-g, May 1997 r/EPA Your Screen Reclamation System •sr U.S.EPA How safe is it for workers to use? How well does it perform? How safe is it for the environment? How much does it cost to use? I nk removers, emulsion removers, haze removers... As a screen printer, you know that there are many different chemicals you can use to reclajm your screens. You want to use the chemicals that are best for your shoj^-prod/cte that perform well, are cost effective, and just as important, are safe^workers to use. ~ - " ~ lESssf *®l applM* pufe „,*, ^"fe^OLcourse products available. So, to hel „ „ _ ___ (DfEj Screen Printing Project "has ^Wished tfietooklef Designing Solutions for Screen Printers*: Systems. This easy-to-read 52:page booklet summarizes the „ ? * <^^ •wp?;."^. „„ ^.^^^twws^a***^- ^ (1) chemical composition, (2) performaiTce* (3) ccit7(4f risk and _ aZ - *_- , "- ^ exposure, and (5) regulatory concerns of 16 drjferent screen *• >~^ gntss^. ^^^* *"* "^^ reclamation systems. owDesianina Solutions for Screen uation of stems can help reclamation ------- lWil*rt(_ System profiles in Desk I "^ . mm UmilfflL- ttomJmnrj-*™™ J™™- AH Jrin Mrl *J»* ta-HS- ItH. S* nin Solutions for Screen Printers dej j - j- — ,- can help you examine oui ^^4^N|lf««ji|lff^^.«Sl?.*. & wwvivi ijv Chemical .. \A Composition The chemicals that are found in each component of a system—ink remover, emulsion remover, haze remover—are listed here. This information can help you answer questions about your own reclamation system and identify substitute products you may wish to try. Performance Use this information to help you find out if a particular system may be right for your shop. Each system was tested (1) in a controlled laboratory environment and (2) under actual production conditions in a print shop (a volunteer demonstration site). The opinions of the printers that used the systems are documented, as are the results of the specific lab tests. For each demonstration site, the type of ink used on the screens to be reclaimed, as well as the number and size of screens cleaned by the facility during the demonstration project, are listed. Comparing the production conditions of your shop to those of the demonstration site will help you assess the performance information. frt^%lli'm£jisif^^!HUS(^an^r^iE!W,..iiteimi^r«^ fcw^i b ntd bf f a^ fan!! IT liffera!, »tif> ess f»% tiling 3 &»iMttttd etrtulEss wilN i IflkuraEfo M). ttiac i! laoli I«@|P t?van tMr tn^l prcilga » k«£t: tkwstk lal 1^ t^rast. lit oilier bdiitjr bail ye^f |ea! r£is£ts « the iiSt rtiwcq sm oafy !^ k »mav« wi M wfil jf )la pv&x& UH fetiKty itirrt wif WLkE .lett prfflj^f pir xrftn wti ' r uaadard fjedm:. Regulatory Concerns Simple tables in each profile show which chemicals in the reclamation system are subject to Federal environmental regulations, such as the Clean Water Act and the Clean Air Act. Because the tables list individual chemicals, not specific products, they will help you to see if your facility uses regulated materials. You can also use the tables to find products that have fewer regulatory concerns. ------- ibe how each system performed in five important categories. stem and search for possible substitutes. fl ap$sl la the«rKfl fer hut nniayii*as isiaxw of fcGtrw'mraiid ink ttmsstrift H to Id tiifas. BKHi:ife!B[t!3E«l*il*^«"ramK'lfirtJtiMKi»iii[apliif.i'iiiri?,MtQiis»-rtrfii;»!iljtft! MS, hOt Msoniotf, tin h» immf Sghticd to rate w zll wias kimMmtnitian tkwtuntflettlp i ' » H8BS11 tb! h(i!i!y tkl! fKllSKl l UjlttBiSirel ewieenu IK riski ta wrfctf ittalS nstjf f»^ fftm si«i| fias iai ttimmr w 3 iffy bisk TSj lol: TOrmaiiMlw»taUiMiJjf!i»(ijBd)mSile(«8tBsif«rrehiifn|ircJBai«t5B tamne. Ujn ccmn may tt>j BMifei* Bfowas and'fa fifcwsana lor tnSi from jlsion trarar oataiitt smn itiiand (y< imulita. bait nntmr on oust i»r iohtbm exponirtt aal m^li^Mt OiictrftilDf mlu. SSSa ontttt may ra^t in anl pasbk anariitfcrniks.Nai qrtfabctaiwie, btn^l aEw&o^ airf prc^leK^c^ Kris ittim. DiiKt ikin tWS « Oat Witwla; CESO* = C»ipritaiB« BmmMnl tafoat, ttspfnfati airfUabEty fa SO* « tetra H-disarfdoMffltitiiidM ' Cost The cost estimates listed in this section—along with information on occupational risk and regulatory concerns—will help you get a picture of what it might cost to use a particular system. The costs of each system include the basic purchase price of the products, as well as the costs of actually using them in a shop—labor hours required to reclaim a screen, costs of wipes, and the volume of product needed. Remember, however, that these alone may not be the only indications of what it really costs to use a reclamation system. Other less obvious factors can be important, too: How flammable are the chemicals? —More flammable materials can cost more in storage requirements and insurance premiums. Are they regulated materials?—If so, this can mean added costs of staying in compliance. How hazardous are the chemicals to worker health or to the environment? —Hazardous materials can add to the expense of protecting workers and the environment. *££•" . Risk and Exposure Health risks that printers may face when using different screen reclamation chemicals are a major concern of all screen printing companies. Designing Solutions for Screen Printers presents information about specific chemicals that may be of concern in each system. While you may not be using the exact same products in your shop, your products may contain some of the same chemicals that are profiled. You can use this information to help assess the risks of your own system, identify recommended safety precautions, and find products that may pose less risk. ------- MI lathe DfE | ;i ;! Serein Printing Project liBSiiilffi1 f ie, ' lllo3ifion''lnfernatiQnal.. lllSui9!!!llK'!iii'!!!tlll911iilltt!lilIIV!iiSU!l!iiii'! me. Screen, anting and mers or screen , Dfoaucts sr for liiiirl i and HUE les. and t leiiiiiyA i,1,11.!! 3, Environmental SEPA United States Environmental Protection Agency Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 ••••I; i For more Information er,3fE pro ects, iii: wage oif the eweb: tepyeleeJ i paper Ifiat" ffiiirgst ! finer,,. lO O TCI 6 r your free copy of Designing Solutions for Screen Printers: An Evaluation of Screen Reclamation Systems, contact: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 401 M Street, SW (7409) Washington, DC 20460 Phone:(202)260-1023 fax: (202) 260-4659 e-mail: ppic@epamail.epa.gov You can also ask PPIC to send you a list of all publications available through EPA's Design for the Environment Screen Printing Project. About the DfE Screen Printing Project -The Design for the Environment (DfE) Screen Printing Project is a voluntary collaboration between representatives of the screen printing industry and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The goal of the Project is to provide screen printers with information that can help them run their facilities in a way that is more environmentally sound.'safe for workers, and more cost effective", "the Project focused on screen reclamation systems, and gathered information on the performance, cost, and health and environmental risk trade-offs of different reclamation systems (ink removers, emulsion removers, and haze removers). While the Project specifically examined screen reclamation systems, the partners of the Project encourage printers-to consider the environmental impact of all the products they use in their shops. ------- |