DCN: RZ3-SAI-R11012-01-TR-00694
MULTIMEDIA COMPLIANCE/POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSESSMENT
GUIDANCE FOR SCREEN PRINTING FACILITIES
Prepared for:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20044
Prepared by:
Science Applications International Corporation
1710 Goodridge Drive
McLean, VA 22102
May 6, 1998
Work Assignment No. R11012
EPA Contract No. 68-W4-0005
Charge No. 01-0834-07-2839-060
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MULTIMEDIA COMPLIANCE/POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSESSMENT
GUIDANCE FOR SCREEN PRINTING FACILITIES
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20044
May 6, 1998
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NOTICI-:
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revised without public notice lo relied
chsingcs in KPA's policy.
Mention ol'trside nsinies or coniniercisil
products in this document or sissocisited
references does not constitute sin
endorsement or rccoinmcndsilion lor use.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Introduction ii
1. Screen Printing Industry Profile 1
2. Screen Printing Processes, Materials, and Wastes 3
2.1 General Overview of Printing Processes 3
2.2 Screen Printing Process Summary 4
2.3 Image Processing (Prepress) 6
2.4 Stencil and Screen Preparation (Prepress) 9
2.5 Printing Operations (Press) 11
2.6 Finishing (Postpress) 16
2.7 Screen Reclamation (Postpress) 16
3. Assessment Protocol 22
3.1 Pre-Assessment Preparation 23
3.2 On-Site Activities 23
3.3 Preparation of Assessment Report 27
3.4 Follow-Up Activities 27
LIST OF TABLE
Table 1. Screen Printing: Waste Streams of Concern 7
Table 2. Traditional Screen Reclamation Chemicals 18
LIST OF FIGURE
Figure 1. Screen Printing Processes: Raw Materials and Wastes 5
LIST OF APPENDICES
Page
Appendix A. Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist for
Screen Printing Facilities A-l
Appendix B. Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form for
Screen Printing Facilities B-l
Appendix C. Annotated Bibliography of Selected References C-l
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Introduction
Statement of Goals:
This document was developed to assist field personnel in state, local, and EPA regional offices in
conducting multimedia assessments of screen printing facilities. Its primary goal is to enable
inspectors to fulfill the traditional role of assessing the compliance status of individual facilities by
providing specific information about the screen printing process and a corresponding assessment
protocol. However, the manual also focuses on the important goal of overall improved
environmental quality by approaching the assessment process with the added objectives of
providing compliance assistance to facilities and identifying pollution prevention opportunities.
Section Overview:
To familiarize the inspector with the screen printing industry, Chapter 1 first presents a screen
printing industry profile that provides background demographic information on the printing
industry in general as well as the screen printing sub-sector. Chapter 2 describes the various
processes and materials that are used in the screen printing industry and the wastes that are
generated. Actual processes will vary from plant to plant, but this section will introduce the
inspector to the fundamental operating principles of a typical facility. Finally, Chapter 3 is an
assessment protocol which accompanies the assessment checklist and provides procedural
guidance for inspectors regarding regulatory compliance and pollution prevention techniques in
the screen printing industry.
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Chapter 2
Screen Printing Industry Profile
Screen printing is one of five common printing processes that comprise the printing
industry. The industry as a whole is classified as Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) Code
Major Group 27—Printing, Publishing, and Allied Industry. Major Group 27 includes firms
engaged in printing by one or more common processes, such as screen printing, as well as those
entities that perform printing related services, such as bookbinding, typesetting, and
photoengraving. It also encompasses firms that publish newspapers, books, and periodicals.
The SIC subgroups under 27 include the following:
271
Newspapers
272 -
Periodicals
273 -
Books
274 -
Miscellaneous (e.g., atlases, maps, calendars)
275 -
Commercial Printing
276 -
Manifold business forms
277 -
Greeting cards
278 -
Blankbooks, Looseleaf Binders, and Bookbinding and Related Work
279 -
Service Industries for the Printing Trade (typesetting, platemaking and
related services).
Five printing processes currently dominate the U.S. printing industry, accounting for 97
percent of its output. They are, in order of market share, lithography, gravure, flexography,
letterpress, and screen printing.1
Screen printing is the smallest of the five and differs from other printing processes in that
stencils and screens, rather than plates, are used to transfer the image. It is also considered to be
the most versatile of the printing processes and is applicable to a wide range of substrate
materials, including textiles, plastics, papers, fabrics, wood, leather, glass, and ceramics. Screen
printing is also used to manufacture electronic printed circuit boards. There are few restrictions
'U.S. EPA. Printing Industry and Use Cluster Profile. 1994.
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on the size or shape of the screen printed product, as there are for other printing techniques. The
process also allows greater thicknesses of ink to be deposited on the substrate, thus creating
brighter colors and more durable substrates.
Currently, screen printing comprises approximately 3 percent of the commercial printing
industry. However, this figure does not include the large number of "captive in-plant" presses that
operate as part of a production line for a variety of products. For example, a toothpaste
packaging line might incorporate a screen printing process to print the outside of the toothpaste
tube. The exact number of facilities is therefore difficult to determine, but the Screenprinting and
Graphic Imaging Association International (SGIA) estimated the total number of facilities at
about 40,000 in their 1990 Industry Profile Study. Of the 40,000 screen printing facilities,
approximately half are engaged in the printing of all types of textiles, while the other half are
engaged in the production of graphic (non-textile) applications, such as decals, labels, membrane
switches, and billboards. The average U.S. screen printing facility employs approximately 20
employees represented by 14 production workers, 2 managers or supervisors, 2 sales personnel,
and 2 other personnel. Textile facilities tend to be somewhat smaller, employing on average 15 or
fewer employees. Large plants with more than 100 employees also exist, but are few in number
and account for less than 3 percent of screen printing facilities.2 The gross sales in 1986 for the
screen printing industry were estimated by SGIA at $13.7 billion in their 1990 Industry Profile
Survey. More than 50 percent of the facilities have gross sales of less than $1 million.
2U.S. EPA. Printing Industry and Use Cluster Profile. 1994.
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Chapter 4
Screen Printing Processes, Materials, and Wastes
4.2 General Overview of Printing Processes
Printing processes are identified by the method of image transfer and by the type of image
carrier employed. Printed images are transferred to the substrate either directly or indirectly. A
substrate is any material upon which ink is deposited. Direct printing processes are gravure,
flexography, letterpress, and screen printing. In direct printing, the image is transferred directly
from the image carrier to the substrate. In indirect, or offset, printing, the image is first
transferred from the image carrier to an intermediate blanket cylinder and then to the substrate. A
discussion of individual printing processes and the products associated with those processes is
presented below:
Lithography is a form of printing that employs planographic plates, in which the
images are neither raised in relief nor depressed. Instead, the flow of ink is
controlled by coatings on the plate with different physicochemical properties.
Lithography is the predominant printing process in the United States and accounts
for approximately 50 percent of all printing applications. Sheet-fed lithography is
used for printing books, posters, greeting cards, labels, packaging, advertising
flyers, brochures, periodicals, and for reproducing artwork. Web offset
lithography is used for periodicals, newspapers, advertising, books, catalogs, and
business forms.
Gravure printing makes use of intaglio plates, in which ink is contained in
depressions etched onto the surface of the plate. It is used for large volume runs
and high speed runs for printing high-quality publications, magazines, catalogs, and
advertising. It also has large volume applications in the printing of flexible
packaging, paperboard boxes, and labels.
Flexography is a form of letterpress that uses a flexible plastic or rubber plate in a
rotary web press. Flexography is a relief printing process, in which the image is
raised above the surface of the plate. It is used primarily for packaging (plastic
wrappers, corrugated boxes, milk cartons, foil, paper bags) and for imprinting
large surface areas. The use of flexographic printing techniques has increased with
the amount of packaging used in the United States.
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Letterpress printing is the original relief printing process. Web letterpress is used
for some printing of newspapers and magazines. However, its use is declining as
the use of lithographic printing increases. Sheet-fed letterpress is used for some
books, printed stationery, announcements, business cards, and advertising
brochures. Because individual changes can be made on a plate without having to
redo the entire plate, letterpress is particularly useful for price lists, parts lists, and
directories.
Screen printing can print on virtually any substrate, including wood, glass,
fabrics, plastics, and metals. It is used for specialty printing such as T-shirts,
posters, banners, decals, and wallpapers. This type of printing makes up a small
but growing segment of the printing industry. Screen printing is also used to print
patterns on electronic circuit boards prior to etching.
Each of the printing processes can be divided into three major steps: prepress, press, and
postpress. Prepress operations involve a series of steps during which the idea for a printed image
is converted into an image carrier (i.e., printing plate, cylinder, or screen). Press operations are
the actual printing step, in which the ink is transferred via the image carrier to the substrate.
Drying or curing of the ink is also usually classified as a press operation. Postpress involves
various finishing operations to prepare the product for delivery to the customer and cleaning
operations to prepare the equipment for the next printing run.
4.4 Screen Printing Process Summary
Screen printing differs from other printing processes primarily in that the image carrier is a
screen-mounted stencil, rather than a plate. Screen printing consists of five processes—image
processing, stencil and screen preparation, printing, finishing, and screen reclamation—each of
which can be identified as part of the prepress, press, or postpress steps. Figure 1
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Figure 1. Screen Printing Processes: Raw Materials and Wastes
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illustrates the sequence of activities involved in a typical operation and notes the raw materials
and wastes associated with each process.
Prepress. Prepress operations typically involve image processing by
photographic processes, followed by stencil and screen preparation, in which a
stencil is created in the shape of the non-image area and is mounted onto a
prepared screen. For multi-color printing, a separate stenciled screen is prepared
for each color of ink that will be used.
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Press. During the press, or printing, step, the substrate (e.g., a T-shirt), is passed
under the stenciled screen. A rubber squeegee is swept across the top surface of
the screen to press the ink through the areas of the screen that are imaged. In this
way, ink is transferred only to the image areas of the substrate. In a multi-color
printing press, the substrate is passed in sequence through a series of single-color
stenciled screens, one for each color of ink.
Postpress. Postpress operations will involve various finishing operations,
depending on the product. These finishing operations include assembly, die
cutting, or guillotine cutting of screen printed parts. For screen printers, postpress
activities also include reclamation of the screen material after the printing run.
Primary waste streams of concern in a screen printing facility include the various
hazardous compounds found in spent photoprocessing solutions and VOC emissions resulting
from the use of inks and cleaning solvents. Table 1
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Table 1. Screen Printing: Waste Streams of Concern
(adapted from Washington State Department of Ecology, Environmental Management,
and Pollution Prevention: A Guide for Screen Printers, 1994)
Waste Stream
Area of Concern
Environmental Concern
Aerosol Cans
Hazardous Waste
Air Quality
"Listed" chemicals1
VOCs
Developer
Hazardous Waste
Wastewater
Hydroquinone
Fixer
Hazardous Waste
Wastewater
High silver
Haze Remover
Hazardous Waste
Wastewater
High pH
"Listed" chemicals2
Ink Remover
Hazardous Waste
Air Quality
"Listed" chemicals
VOCs
Heavy metals3
Emulsion Remover
Wastewater
High pH
Reactivity
Parts Washer Solvent
Hazardous Waste
"Listed" chemicals
Scrap Film
Solid Waste
Disposal of recoverable silver
Screen Degreaser
Hazardous Waste
Air Quality
"Listed" chemicals2
VOCs
Waste Screen Emulsion
Wastewater
Suspended Solids
Shop Towels
Hazardous Waste
Air Quality
Improper disposal of inks and
solvents
Waste Ink
Hazardous Waste
Air Quality
"Listed" chemicals
VOCs
Heavy metals3
'Listed chemicals include the following chemicals:
methanol
methylene chloride
methyl ethyl ketone (MEK)
methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK)
acetone
benzene
carbon tetrachloride
chlorinated fluorocarbons
chlorobenzene
cyclohexanone
2-ethosyethanol
ethyl ether
isobutanol
n-butyl alcohol
2-nitropropane
ortho -dichlorobenzene
pyridine
tetrachloroethylene
toluene
trichloroethylene
1,1,1 -trichloroethane
1,1,2-trichloroethane
1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-
trifluoroethane
trichlorofluoromethane
xylene
2Formulations for haze remover and screen degreaser that do not contain listed chemicals are now readily
available.
Conventional, solvent-based ink systems are more likely to contain some amounts of heavy metals such as
barium, cadmium, chromium, or lead.
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lists these and other waste streams of concern in a typical screen printing facility and summarizes
the environmental issues associated with their control.
The five major processes—image processing, stencil and screen preparation, printing,
finishing, and screen material reclamation—are discussed in greater detail in the following
sections.
4.6 Image Processing (Prepress)
The screen printing process usually begins with the image processing step to transfer the
original camera-ready art into one or more images on black-and-white film. This film positive
image is subsequently used to create a photostencil. It can be made of paper, plastic film, or a
glass base and is covered with a light sensitive coating. This coating is usually composed of silver
halide salts (silver chloride, silver bromide, and silver iodide). To create the film positive, the
original art is photographed, which exposes the film to the image.
After the film coating has been exposed, it must be developed. The traditional film
developing process consists of immersing the exposed film in a developer bath, a fixer bath, and
finally a rinse bath. Immersion in the developer solution converts the silver halides to
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metallic silver on the film. Developers typically contain benzene derivatives, along with an
accelerating agent (to speed up the developing process), a preservative (to reduce oxidation
damage to the developer), and a restrainer (to prevent image "fogging").
The developing action is stopped by a fixing bath. Each time a photographic image is
immersed in a fixing bath, a small amount of silver enters the bath from the film coating. Insoluble
compounds that are formed after the silver concentration reaches a certain level cannot be
removed from the coating, so the fixer must be diluted prior to reaching this level. The critical
silver concentration for fixing baths is 0.27 ounces per gallon (2 grams/liter).
After the image has been fixed, the film is washed to prevent residual chemicals from
reacting and damaging the image. Washes are usually water, with a temperature of 80°F (27°C)
and a pH of 4.9 or higher. In some photoprocessing, chemicals are applied to the film coating to
reduce or increase the image contrast. Reducers act by oxidizing some of the silver; intensifiers
add silver or mercury to the developed silver grains in the coating. Image processing wastes
typically include spent developer, spent fixer, contaminated wash water, silver, waste film, and
associated photodeveloping chemicals.
As an alternative to the traditional tray system of developing film, most screen printers
now use a diffusion transfer film developing unit. These self-contained units require less labor and
produce considerably smaller amounts of photographic chemical wastes. The film positive and
film negative sheets are fed together through a roller system and automatically exposed to light
and to a developer solution. No fixer is needed for this process before the rinsing step.
Silver Recovery from Used Fixer
The silver content in spent fixer has value and can be recovered. On-site recovery of silver
is most likely to be practical for larger facilities that generate a significant amount of used fixer.
Several methods exist for extracting the silver. The most common methods for recycling small
amounts of fixer are electrolytic units and metallic replacement cartridges.
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Electrolytic Units. Electrolytic units operate by collecting the positively charged
silver ions on a negatively charged cathode. The resulting silver deposits are in a
high state of purity and are easily refined and recycled. Electrolytic units are
efficient and effective down to a silver concentration of about 100 to 300 parts per
million (ppm).
Metallic Replacement Cartridges. Metallic replacement cartridges are hollow
canisters that contain steel fibers. When spent fixer is passed through the canister,
the silver precipitates out of solution and some iron dissolves in its place.
Operating costs are greater than for electrolytic units, but treating silver-bearing
wastes with two cartridges in series can, under ideal situations, reduce the silver
concentration to about 1 ppm.
The two technologies can also be combined for optimum silver recovery efficiency.
4.8 Stencil and Screen Preparation (Prepress)
The stencil is the image carrier in the screen printing process and can be created out of a
photosensitive material. It is affixed to a screen and has a "hole" in the shape of the image to be
printed to allow ink to flow through the screen. In the non-image areas, the flow of ink is blocked
by the stencil material.
The screen must have a fine weave to allow ink to be deposited smoothly onto the
substrate. Polyester fabrics are the most common screen material and have largely replaced the
traditional silk screen. Wire mesh and stainless steel screens are also used, but to a lesser degree.
After the screen material is stretched taut over a frame and properly tensioned, the stencil can be
applied to the screen.
Hand-cut Stencil
The simplest method is to manually cut a stencil of the image out of lacquer film. The cut
stencil is bonded to the screen with a liquid adhesive and the paper backing is removed. This
process does not require a film positive image, thus avoiding the generation of used fixer and
other photoprocessing wastes. Hand-cut stencils are not suitable for use with newer ink systems,
however, and their use is becoming increasingly uncommon.
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Photosensitive Stencil
Several methods can be used to create a stencil out of a photosensitive material. All of
them involve exposing a thin film of a photosensitive material to light (or ultraviolet light) through
the film positive image that was created in the image processing step. Light passes through the
film positive in the non-image areas and cures the light-sensitive film, rendering it insoluble. The
image areas of the film are protected from the light source by the film positive—they can
subsequently be dissolved and removed. Three common photosensitive stencil processes are
described below:
Direct Coating Process. A common method in which a liquid light-sensitive
emulsion is applied to the screen and allowed to dry. The screen is then exposed
to a light source through the film positive image, which causes the emulsion in the
non-image areas of the screen to cure. Several coats of emulsion can be applied in
succession to create more durable stencils. The emulsion in the image area
remains water-soluble and can be rinsed off with a pressurized warm water spray,
leaving the cured emulsion stencil in place.
Indirect Film Process. A sheet of photosensitive film is exposed to the light
source through the film positive, curing the non-image areas. The film must then
be developed in a solution that renders the unexposed areas of the film water
soluble. This portion of the film is rinsed away, leaving a durable stencil that can
then be bonded to the screen.
Capillary Film Process. A sheet of photosensitive film is first laminated to the
screen and then exposed to a light source through the film positive. As in the
indirect film process, the film must be developed to render the unexposed areas
water soluble and then rinsed with water to remove those areas.
Wastewater containing waste stencil material and adhesives is the primary waste generated
by the stencil and screen preparation processes.
Innovative Technology: Digital Prepress
The rapid advances in computer technologies in the past decade have resulted in the
emergence of digital prepress operations. Digital prepress operations eliminate the costly steps of
color separation and photographic production of a film positive image. Instead, the positive
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image can be created from a digital file. Digital prepresses now comprise a sizable (and quickly
growing) portion of the screen printer image processing market.
Digital images can be created either directly using a software package designed for this
purpose, or by using a digital scanner. Digital scanners convert an original proof into a digital file
format. Once created, the electronic image can be manipulated into the desired printing format.
The final "camera-ready" image is sent to a raster image processor (RIP) which converts the file
into a usable format for a digital printer. The printer can then print a high resolution positive
image that can be used to create the screen.
The continued development of digital prepress technology has the potential of reducing
the amounts of fixer and other photographic wastes generated in the screen printing industry. In
addition to digital prepress, digital printers also have the capabilities of printing directly on many
types of substrates, either for the purpose of producing proofs for inspection, or for printing the
actual product in short run applications.
4.10 Printing Operations (Press)
In the printing step, ink is pressed through the stenciled screen and deposited on the
substrate in the shape of the image. The three types of presses commonly used in the screen
printing industry are flat-bed presses, cylinder presses, and web presses. Flat-bed presses and
cylinder presses are available in varying degrees of automation.
Flat-bed Presses
Flat-bed presses are so named because the bed of such presses are horizontal and parallel
to the screen. The substrate to be printed is fed manually or automatically onto the bed, or table.
The squeegee and screen assembly comprise the head, which is lowered onto the table during the
actual printing process. During printing, a single color of ink is applied to the top of the screen.
To deliver the ink through the screen evenly and smoothly to the substrate, a polyurethane
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squeegee is drawn over the screen. The head assembly is then lifted off the table and the printed
substrate is removed and replaced with a new sheet.
Flat-bed presses can be generally classified as clamshell presses or vertical-lift presses,
depending on how the head is lifted off the table. The head of a clamshell press is hinged on the
rear side of the table and is lifted off by a two-post assembly or a drive mechanism mounted in the
rear of the press. The head of a vertical-lift press is not hinged to the table. The entire head is
lifted off the table by a two-post cantilever or a four-post assembly.
Carousel presses are a type of flat-bed press used in the textile printing sector. They
consist of several small stations, each used for printing a separate color. The stations are arranged
in a circular, or carousel, fashion.
Cylinder Presses
Cylinder presses are typically used in operations where speed or fine detail printing are a
concern. Unlike a flat-bed press, the substrate is not fixed to a horizontal table. Instead, it is fed
across a feedboard and is wrapped around a rotating cylinder. The squeegee and screen are both
located above the cylinder. The squeegee remains stationary at the top of the cylinder. During
printing, the screen moves horizontally between the squeegee and the cylinder at the same speed
at which the cylinder is rotating. Unlike a flat-bed press, there is no need to lift the head assembly
off a cylinder, which allows for printing a greater number of impressions per hour.
Web Presses
Web presses are used to print continuous rolls of substrate as opposed to individual
sheets. The substrate in such a press is conveyed continuously across a horizontal bed. Paper,
plastic, or other types of substrates can be used. Unlike a flat-bed or a cylinder press, the screen
of a web press is not flat but is a seamless, rotating metal mesh cylinder within which the ink is
stored. The squeegee is a steel bar inside the cylinder screen which is pulled snug against the
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bottom of the cylinder screen. During printing, the substrate is pulled underneath the rotating
cylinder while the steel squeegee delivers ink through the cylinder screen to the substrate.
Printing Process
To begin the printing process, a small "makeready" batch is run to ensure that the images
are in good order and are properly aligned. Results from this batch are inspected, and necessary
adjustments are made to the press, colors, or inks. Once the results from the makeready batch are
satisfactory, the actual production is begun to print the desired number of pieces. Screens
generally need to be cleaned occasionally during a production run to remove any ink that may dry
on the screen.
In multi-color printing, a separate screen is required for each color of ink to be printed.
Up to 64 screens may be required for a single job. Each color of ink must usually be stabilized by
partial drying or curing before applying the next color. This is to ensure that different colors of
inks do not bleed into each other. In textile printing, however, wet-on-wet printing is a common
practice. Special low-bleed inks are used to eliminate the need for drying or curing before
applying the next color. Multi-color printing should not be confused with four color process
printing, which involves blending four colors of special process printing inks in various
thicknesses to create a full multi-color image. Only cyan, magenta, yellow, and black process inks
are used. In four color process printing, the number of screens required is limited to four.
Both multi-color printing and four color process printing are used in the screen printing
industry.
Ink3
Ink systems are typically composed of three components: pigments, resins, and solvents.
3Air and Waste Management Association. Air Pollution Engineering Manual. 1992.
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Pigments lend color to the ink. Colored (non-black) pigments have traditionally contained
heavy metals such as barium, cadmium, chromium, or lead, which are harmful to the environment
and to human health. However, recent technological advances have significantly reduced the
amount of heavy metals contained in many ink systems. Resins are solids that hold the pigments
together and bind them to the substrate. Solvents are needed in some inks to dissolve the resins
and pigments so that they are in a fluid state and can be applied smoothly and evenly to the
substrate.
Inks can be classified into four categories: solvent-based inks, water-based inks, UV
curable inks, and plastisol inks.
Conventional solvent-based inks are still used widely within the screen printing industry
and contain organic solvents that dissolve the resins and pigments. After printing, the solvents
must be evaporated out of the ink by a heat drying unit. Drying of solvent-based inks releases
volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to the atmosphere and can be a primary source of air
pollution in a screen printing facility. The amount of VOCs emitted depends on the amount and
type of solvents contained in the ink.
Several innovative ink systems have evolved in response to the need for environmentally
friendly products. Use of these alternatives to conventional solvent-based ink systems have the
potential of eliminating or greatly reducing VOC emissions during the ink drying process. These
alternatives are (1) water-based inks, (2) UV curable inks, and (3) plastisol inks.
Water-based inks use water as all or part of their solvent component. Similar to solvent-
based inks, these ink systems contain organic pigments, resins, and additives. Water-based ink
systems require the used of water-soluble resins and contain up to 65 to 70 percent solids.
Typically, water-based inks are used in both textile and graphic applications and have lower VOC
concentrations than conventional solvent-based ink systems. Water-based inks should not be
confused with water-reducible inks, which contain as little as 10 percent water. These inks can be
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thinned with water but still may use solvents as the primary resin dissolving agent. Drying of
water-reducible inks may still release considerable amounts of VOCs to the atmosphere.
UV curable inks consisting of pigments, monomers, oligomers, additives and modifiers are
another type of ink system. They have a solids content of nearly 100 percent (i.e., they contain
neither solvents nor water to dissolve the resins) and are cured by exposure to ultraviolet light.
Although converting a facility to accommodate their use incurs capital expenses for installation of
curing equipment, UV inks have several advantages that make them a promising technology:
They do not dry when exposed to air and therefore are stable both in storage and
on the stencil. Clogging of dried ink on the stencil ceases to be a problem, which
eliminates the need to clean the screen during the printing run.
Curing of UV inks is nearly instant. This makes them particularly appropriate for
high speed operations where conservation of drying space can be a significant
advantage.
Curing of UV inks consumes considerably less energy than heat drying processes.
Since UV inks contain essentially no solvents, VOC emissions are not a significant
concern.
• UV inks are non-flammable.
Further development and increased use of UV inks will likely lead to improved production
efficiency as well as improved waste minimization.
Plastisol inks also contain nearly 100 percent solids and release very low levels of VOCs.
They are composed of two components—polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resins and a plasticizer—that
fuse together when heated to 160°C (320°F) in a heat drying unit. Plastisol inks only adhere to
porous surfaces and are used primarily in the textile printing sector.
Drying and Curing Units
Most types of inks must be dried after printing. Drying typically takes place in either a
flash-curing unit or in a conveyer dryer. A flash-curing unit, also known as a spot-curing unit,
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contains an infrared heater that heats only the substrate and not the air around it. Curing can
often be achieved in only a few seconds with a flash-curing unit. Flash-curing units are typically
used for plastisol inks. A conveyer dryer contains the heat inside a tunnel through which the
substrate is moved on a conveyer system. The ink is dried or cured within the tunnel. Conveyor
dryers can be either gas or electric powered and are generally used for solvent-based and water-
based ink systems.
Substrates printed with UV inks cannot be cured with conventional drying units and must
be cured in a UV curing unit instead.
Major wastes generated during printing operations are ink residues, cleaning solvents,
substrate misprints from the makeready batch, masking tape, and shop towels. The use of spray
adhesives to affix textiles to platens may also generate used aerosol cans. Many of these wastes
will contain hazardous compounds that must be disposed of properly.
4.12 Finishing (Postpress)
Finishing refers to the final handling and packaging of the product prior to delivery to the
client. The complexity of the finishing process depends greatly on the type of product that has
been printed. Screen-printed T-shirts, for example may require little or no finishing. Plastic
dashboard parts or electronic printed circuit boards, on the other hand, may require die cutting,
knife cutting, and various assembly processes to create the finished product.
4.14 Screen Reclamation (Postpress)
Due to the high price of quality fabrics, screens are cleaned after the production run in
order to reclaim them for reuse. The screen reclamation process is of particular interest to the
inspector. It is a primary source of air emissions and hazardous wastes in a screen printing
facility, as it involves the use of solvent-based cleaning agents that contain highly volatile organic
compounds and toxic components. It is also a common practice at many facilities to allow waste
19
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cleaning solvents to drain directly into the sewer without proper pretreatment.4 The traditional
process of screen reclamation consists of applying chemicals in sequence that remove the ink
residue, the emulsion, and any haze or ghost images that may remain. A wide variety of chemicals
can be used to reclaim screens, including many hydrocarbon solvents, caustics, and oxidizers.
Ink Removal
The first step in screen reclamation is to remove the residual ink from the screen after a
printing run. This is generally done press side. Most of the ink can be removed by "carding," or
scraping it, from the screen. If possible, the carded ink is returned to the ink container for reuse.
Any remaining residual ink must be removed by the application of an ink remover formula.
Typically, ink remover is sprayed onto the screen with a small, non-aerosol pump bottle, and rags
are used to remove the ink residue. Lacquer thinner, which is composed of methyl ethyl ketone,
petroleum distillates, toluene, acetate, and methane, is one common formulation used for ink
remover. Some other chemicals used in ink remover formulas are listed in Table 2. Chronic
dermal or inhalation exposure to many of these organic chemicals may present human health risks.
4U.S. EPA. Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (Draft) - Industry: Screen
Printing. 1994.
20
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Table 2. Traditional Screen Reclamation Chemicals
(Adapted from Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (Draft)—
Industry: Screen Printing, 1994.)
llsliiiiiilod M;irki'l Sliiiiv
I sl-
( homiciil
(%)
ink Remover
Lacquer Thinner
40
Xylene
20
Mineral Spirits
20
Acetone
20
Emulsion Remover
Sodium meta periodate
80
Bleach (Sodium hypochlorite)
10
Periodic acid
5
Sodium bisulfate
5
Haze Remover
Sodium hydroxide
25
Potassium hydroxide
25
Mixture of xylene, acetone, mineral
20
spirits, and cyclohexanone
Bleach (Sodium hypochlorite)
10
Mixture of glycol ethers and
10
N-methy lpy rro lido ne
Mixture of d-limonene and sodium
10
hydroxide
Major wastes generated in the ink removal process include shop towels and VOC
emissions.
Emulsion Removal
To remove the emulsion, the screen is usually moved to the screen reclamation area. The
emulsion is removed by application of an emulsion remover formula. Emulsion remover is applied
with a brush and worked into the screen to loosen the emulsion. The screen is then rinsed in a
washout booth with water, generally at 1,000 psi. Emulsion removers are typically water-based
solutions containing a strong oxidizer such as hypochlorite or periodate. These chemicals do not
present a significant inhalation risk but do pose a risk of skin and eye irritation and tissue damage,
if adequate protective measures are not taken. Wastewater discharges are the major issue
associated with the emulsion removal process.
21
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Haze Removal
After the ink and emulsion have been removed, a residual haze, or "ghost image," may
remain in the image area of the screen. This is more likely to occur if dark solvent-based inks are
used, or if the screen is not reclaimed promptly after the printing run. For certain printing
applications, such ghost images are unacceptable, and they must be chemically removed before the
screen can be reused. A strong base, such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is often used a haze
remover. Other common chemicals used in haze remover formulas are listed in Table 2. The use
of strong bases or strong oxidizers poses a risk of skin and eye irritation or tissue damage, while
the use of organic solvents typically presents long-term health risks stemming from chronic dermal
or inhalation exposure.
Alternative Screen Reclamation Chemicals
In an effort to minimize the human health and environmental risks associated with the use
of many traditional screen reclamation chemicals, manufacturers are developing new products
which include various alternative chemicals. These alternative chemicals can be less hazardous to
the environment and to facility employees. One manufacturer, for example, has developed an
effective ink remover mixture consisting of diethylene glycol series ethers, tripropylene glycol
methyl ether, N-methylpyrrolidone, and ethoxylated nonylphenol.5 An analysis showed that this
alternative formula presents considerably lower health risks due to inhalation exposure than either
lacquer thinner or acetone.
Practical evaluation of screen reclamation chemicals must of course take into account
factors such as cost, usage required, and effectiveness, as well as environmental and health
hazards. The EPA publication Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (Draft) - Industry:
Screen Printing (CTSA) is a repository of comparative information on a wide variety of traditional
and alternative chemicals used in screen reclamation. It includes background information on
human health and environmental health hazards of 83 chemical substances, as well as material
5U.S. EPA. Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (Draft) - Industry: Screen
Printing. 1994.
22
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costs and performance evaluations of various types of formulations and reclamation methods
based on testing conducted at screen printing facilities.
Innovative Technologies in Screen Reclamation
A number of methods and technologies have been successfully applied to the screen
reclamation process in an effort to reduce or eliminate the amount of hazardous chemicals that
must be used. These technologies include high pressure water blasters, solvent recycling systems,
and automatic screen washers. Other technologies are also under development. Such pollution
prevention alternatives may be especially appropriate in larger screen printing facilities, where the
initial capital investment for new equipment can be offset by larger savings in labor or chemical
costs. In smaller facilities, the implementation of technologies involving a large capital investment
may be more difficult.
• High Pressure Water Blasters. High pressure water blasters that deliver streams
of water at up to 3,000 psi have been found to be effective, particularly for ink and
emulsion removal. They can be used in conjunction with cleaning solvents to
reduce the amounts of chemicals that need to be used.
• Solvent Recycling. Solvents used in the cleaning process can be recycled in-plant
and reused. The recycling process usually consists of filtration followed by
distillation and is most often used to recover used ink remover. Filtration removes
insoluble particulates such as the solids found in ink. Distillation is a process that
vaporizes the solvent and leaves the soluble impurities, such as ink pigments, as a
residue in the bottom of a still kettle. The vaporized solvent is passed through a
matrix of refrigerated coils and is condensed back to liquid form, purified, and
ready for reuse. Solvent recycling can drastically reduce the amount of chemicals
that are needed in the screen reclamation process. When the increasing cost of
hazardous waste disposal is taken into account, the cost of the equipment for
recycling can be paid back in as little as a few months.
• Automatic Screen Washers. Fully enclosed automatic screen washers can
prevent the release of solvent-based cleaners to the atmosphere during the cleaning
process. They are commercially available as ink removers only, or as consolidated
units that perform ink removal, emulsion removal, and haze removal in a single
unit. Some units include built-in solvent recovery equipment.
23
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Additional Emerging Technologies. Several other environmentally friendly
technologies have been identified by EPA's Design for the Environment program
as potentially suitable for use in the screen reclamation process. These include:
- Baking soda solution sprays, which have demonstrated limited success in
the removal of some types of inks
- Dry media blasting with small particles of wheat starch or baking soda to
remove ink and emulsion
- Pulse light energy technology, which exposes screens to intense energy
sources in order to vaporize coatings off the fabric
- Stripping technologies, in which heat or cryogenic methods are used to
loosen coatings, which are subsequently removed by sanding
- Stencil/emulsion chemistry, in which the emulsion can be softened by
application of an enzyme or gelatin film and then removed with a warm
water spray.
These technologies have thus far not been successfully field tested in the screen
printing industry, but further research may increase their potential as waste
minimization continues to grow in importance.
24
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Chapter 6
Assessment Protocol
The primary purpose of the multimedia assessment protocol for screen printing facilities is
to determine compliance with regulations that apply to air emissions, hazardous wastes, industrial
wastewater, and the use of toxic substances associated with screen printing processes.
Determination of compliance with any regulations that are not specifically associated with the
screen printing process (e.g., the TSCA regulations on PCBs) is not a part of this assessment
protocol. The assessment protocol also focuses on encouraging pollution prevention and
innovative technology by identifying potential pollution prevention and innovative technology
opportunities that could move the facility beyond compliance to overall improved environmental
quality.
The multimedia assessment will utilize a process-based approach in which the inspector
identifies noncompliance with any applicable media-specific or program-specific regulation (air,
water, solid waste) as well as pollution prevention and innovative technology opportunities as part
of the assessment of individual printing process. The assessment protocol serves as a reference
for the conduct of these assessments and includes procedures, an assessment checklist (Appendix
A), and an example assessment report (Appendix B). It addresses prepress, press, and postpress
operations for screen printing facilities.
The following activities are part of the multimedia compliance assessment protocol:
Pre-assessment preparation
On-site activities
- Opening conference/discussion
- Facility walk-through
Materials storage areas
Process areas
Waste management areas
Records/permits/documentation review
- Closing conference/discussion
25
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Preparation of assessment report
Follow-up activities.
Each of these activities is briefly described in the assessment procedures discussed below. During
the assessment, the inspector should generally follow procedures outlined in the EPA Basic
Inspector's Training Manual.
6.2 Pre-Assessment Preparation
The inspector should review any existing information on the facility, including any
previous noncompliance problems, and determine whether the facility is in a non-attainment area.
Using the available information, he/she should complete Section I (General Facility Information)
of the Assessment Checklist, which covers general aspects of the regulatory programs to be
covered during this assessment (i.e., air, hazardous wastes, wastewater, and use and releases of
toxic substances). This information can then be verified during the assessment.
Prior to an assessment, the inspector should become familiar with lists such as (1) the list
of EPCRA extremely hazardous substances and their threshold planning quantities, (2) the list of
CERCLA hazardous substances and their Superfund reportable quantities, and (3) the EPCRA list
of toxic chemicals. Because these lists should also be available for reference (if necessary) during
an assessment, the inspector should carry a copy to the facility at the time of the assessment.
6.4 On-Site Activities
Opening Conference/Discussion
During the opening conference/discussion, it is important that the inspector point out that,
in addition to the more traditional objective of compliance evaluation, the assessment focuses on
providing compliance assistance to the facility and identifying potential pollution prevention and
innovative technology opportunities. Thus, assessment questions will address raw materials used,
housekeeping procedures, and process modifications, as well as wastes generated.
26
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The inspector should verify the information in Section I (General Facility Information) of
the checklist and obtain any missing information. These questions are intended to obtain an
overall general evaluation of the regulations that apply to the facility, including whether the
facility currently has any permits. In addition, the printing processes at the facility should be
discussed, and a schematic prepared.
Walk-through of Facility
The Assessment Checklist is designed to walk-through the facility in a process-oriented
manner, addressing these activities:
General housekeeping (including raw materials information)
Image processing
Stencil and screen preparation
• Printing
• Finishing
Cleaning/screen reclamation
Waste handling and management.
For each of these areas, applicable media-specific compliance questions and pollution
prevention, innovative technology, and recycling questions are included in the checklist.
• General Housekeeping/Materials Storage. General housekeeping/materials
storage is a separate section of the checklist, although evaluation of these activities
should be ongoing throughout the assessment of the facility. Specifically, the
inspector should be observing operation and maintenance and housekeeping
throughout the facility walk-through in the storage areas, process areas, and waste
management areas. The walk-through of the facility should begin at the receiving
area and storage area for raw materials.
• Process Areas (Image Processing, Stencil and Screen Preparation, Printing,
Finishing, Cleaning/Screen Reclamation)
For each process or activity listed in the checklist, the inspector should verify the
following (using the checklist questions):
27
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- Description
- Types and amounts of materials used
- Types and amounts of wastes generated
- General condition.
The checklist contains notes for the inspector regarding compliance issues with
respect to individual wastes.
For each type of waste generated by the process or activity, the inspector should
inquire about general or specific pollution prevention techniques and innovative
technology as presented in the checklist.
When assessing the process or activity areas, the inspector should document any
evidence of noncompliance that presents an imminent threat to human health or the
environment (e.g., leaks or spills of hazardous materials). He/she should take
immediate action to notify (1) the facility of the situation and (2) the appropriate
program office for follow-up action.
The checklist is meant only as a guide for questions, and the inspector should ask
any other questions to obtain additional information or clarify answers.
The inspector should note any transfer of wastes from one media to another
resulting from process operations.
Waste Handling and Management. The waste handling and management
section of the checklist is organized by type of waste being managed and includes
wastewater, air emissions, and hazardous wastes. This part of the assessment will
generally involve hazardous wastes storage containers, wastewater treatment
equipment, and air pollution control equipment. However, silver recovery units,
may be assessed as part of image processing, depending on where the silver
recovery unit(s) are located in the facility.
For the waste handling and management areas, the inspector should verify the
following (using the appropriate checklist questions):
- Air and wastewater:
Any existing permits and permit requirements
Type of treatment process
Condition of treatment equipment
Any noncompliance.
- Hazardous wastes:
Any existing permit (if TSD facility)
Condition of storage containers and storage area
28
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Length of storage
Waste transportation.
Evaluation of these areas will also involve review of the facility records. For
example, if a facility has a wastewater permit, the inspector should review the
permit for selected requirements (e.g., limited parameters and self-monitoring
frequency) and then assess compliance with these requirements. All violations
should be documented.
The inspector should identify any media transfer of waste streams resulting from
pollution control/management practices (e.g., generation of sludges from
wastewater treatment or generation of scrubber water from air pollution control
equipment).
Closing Conference/Discussion
As part of the closing conference/discussion, the inspector should do the following:
Convey the results of the assessment to the facility including all obvious violations
noted. However, inspectors should refrain from discussing monetary penalty
amounts, or whether penalties will be assessed for any violations noted.
Inspectors should also make the facility representative aware that any
decision with regard to a particular violation is subject to confirmation after
evaluation of the inspection findings by the appropriate EPA program
offices.
Clarify information obtained and ask any outstanding questions
Discuss in general potential pollution prevention and innovative technology
opportunities
Distribute general or printing-specific compliance assistance literature
Distribute general or printing-specific pollution prevention or innovative
technology literature
Distribute list of selected references (Appendix C)
Provide contacts at appropriate agencies that give compliance or technical
assistance (e.g., hotlines, technical assistance offices).
29
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The inspector should communicate to the facility that all results are preliminary until
follow-up review is completed.
6.6 Preparation of Assessment Report
After the assessment, the inspector should complete the assessment report form in
Appendix B. This form contains sections for results of both compliance assessment and
identification of pollution prevention and innovative technology opportunities.
Compliance Assessment Sections
The inspector should note any actual and potential violations identified during the
assessment.
Pollution Prevention Sections
The inspector should at a minimum provide a list of opportunities identified based on the
checklist questions. However, the checklist questions do not cover the full range of potential
opportunities for printing processes. If the inspector has additional time and the appropriate
references (such as those listed in Appendix C), he/she can identify other potential opportunities
that can be listed in the assessment report.
6.8 Follow-Up Activities
After the assessment, the inspector will be responsible for recommending what follow-up
actions should be taken. At a minimum, the inspector should provide a report to the facility
(example report form shown in Appendix B) that contains a compliance assessment (with list of
actual or potential violations) and a list of pollution prevention opportunities (including innovative
technology). Additional potential follow-up actions to be taken include the following:
Referral to specific program office for comprehensive follow-up inspection
Referral to technical assistance office for follow-up assistance
30
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Follow-up inspection to determine if facility has implemented pollution prevention
techniques.
After conferring with his/her supervisor, the inspector may take one or more of these
actions as per State policy depending on the particular findings of the assessment. In some States
there are special programs targeted at printing facilities. For example, the Washington
Department of Ecology has a program called Snapshots in which inspectors provide compliance
assistance during visits to printing facilities and also provide the facility with a summary report
containing actions that it should undertake. The State of Washington is planning follow-up
inspections to determine if the facilities have completed these actions.
In some situations the inspector may decide that it is appropriate to refer the facility to a
media-specific program office because violations that could potentially pose a significant risk to
human health or the environment were found during the assessment. In any case, the appropriate
follow-up actions should be determined in coordination with the inspector's supervisor and
applicable enforcement policies.
31
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APPENDIX A
MULTIMEDIA COMPLIANCE/POLLUTION PREVENTION
ASSESSMENT CHECKLIST FOR SCREEN PRINTING FACILITIES
-------
-------
MULTIMEDIA COMPLIANCE/POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSESSMENT
CHECKLIST FOR SCREEN PRINTING FACILITIES
Date and Time of Assessment:
Facility Name and Address:
Facility Contact:
(Name, title, and phone)
Inspector(s):
Name
Tille/AITilialion
I'lionc Number
-------
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
I. GENERAL FACILITY INFORMATION A-l
A. General Facility Operations A-l
B. Wastewater A-5
C. Air A-6
D. Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know A-8
E. EPCRA Section 313 - Toxic Release Inventory A-9
F. Hazardous Wastes A-10
G. Toxic Substances Control A-12
II. PROCESS EVALUATION A-12
A. General Housekeeping/Materials Storage A-12
B. Image Processing A-15
a. General A-15
b. Process Solutions A-16
c. Silver Recovery A-17
d. Used Film A-18
e. Innovative Technology A-18
C. Stencil and Screen Preparation A-19
a. General A-19
b. Waste Solutions A-20
D. Printing A-20
a. General A-20
b. Waste Ink and Empty Ink Containers A-21
c. Substrate Wastes A-23
E. Finishing A-23
F. Cleaning/Screen Reclamation A-24
a. General A-24
b. Waste Solutions A-25
c. Shop Towels A-27
d. Innovative Technology A-28
III. WASTE HANDLING AND MANAGEMENT A-30
A. Wastewater Management A-30
B. Hazardous Wastes Management A-32
C. Air A-35
in
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iv
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ACRONYMS
BACT
best available control technology
CERCLA
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
CESQG
conditionally exempt small quantity generator
EHS
extremely hazardous substance
EPCRA
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
ESR
electrolytic silver recovery
HAP
hazardous air pollutant
IPA
isopropyl alcohol
LAER
lowest achievable emission rate
LEPC
Local Emergency Planning Committee
LQG
large quantity generator
MSDS
material safety data sheet
NPDES
National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System
NSR
new source review
P2
pollution prevention
POTW
publicly owned treatment works
PSD
prevention of significant deterioration
PTE
permanent total enclosure
RACT
reasonably available control technology
RCRA
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
SERC
State Emergency Response Commission
SQG
small quantity generator
VOC
volatile organic compound
WWTP
wastewater treatment plant
vi
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GLOSSARY
Best Available Control Technology (BACT)
Technology required pursuant to Part 165 on new major sources and major modifications subject to
prevention of significant deterioration (PSD) requirements, which reflect best controls in use taking
into account costs and other non-air-quality factors.
Lowest Achievable Emission Rate (LAER)
Degree of control required pursuant to Part 173 on new major sources and major modifications in
nonattainment areas; technology must be best in use or most stringent in any State Implementation
Plan.
Major Source
Stationary source in an ozone transport region that emits or has the potential to emit at least 50 tons
per year of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
New Source Review (NSR)
Program for pre-construction review of new major sources and major modifications under prevention
of significant deterioration (PSD) and nonattainment requirements.
Nonattainment Area Requirements
Program established pursuant to Part D of Title I requiring controls necessary to attain National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs) in areas currently not meeting them.
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD)
Program established under Part C of Title I to preserve air quality in areas already meeting National
Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQSs).
Reasonably Available Control Technology (RACT)
Technology required pursuant to Part 172 to be installed on existing major sources in nonattainment
areas; reflects controls EPA has identified in control technique guidelines (CTGs) or other guidance.
vii
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
CKNKRAI. I AC II.ITY INFORMATION
General Facility Operations
(1) When did the facility begin operations?
(2) Have there been previous printing operations at this location?
(3) What are the facility's hours of operation?
(4) Describe the printing system.
Yes
No
Complete schematic on page A-2 with raw materials input and wastes generated for each
process/activity. If possible, obtain a copy of a schematic or process diagram from the facility.
Complete Table 1 (pages A-3 and A-4) by listing wastes generated by process/activity, quantity
generated, disposal method, and whether the waste is hazardous or nonhazardous.
A-l
-------
Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
1. (;I:m:RAI. FACILITY INFORMATION (Continued)
A. General Facility Operations (Continued)
Schematic of Printing Operations (Example Diagram Included)
Raw Materials Wastes Generated
Image
Processing
i
1
Stencil and Screen
Preparation
i
1
Printing
i
1
Finishing
i
1
Final Product
Screen Reclamation
Housekeeping
A-2
-------
Table 1. Summary of Wastes Generated, Quantity, and Disposal Methods
Tjpe ol'Wiisk'N (.ciKTiiU'd (including l.l'A iiiid
Sliilo code il' ;i|)i)lic;il)k')
Qu;m(i(> per Month
(iciioi'iilod
Disposal Molhodis)
llii/iii'dous or
Noii-hii/iii'dous?
(.ciu'i iil lloiisokccpiiiu/Miiloriids Slo
Imiilic Prncessinii
Sioncil ( onsiniclion ;ind Scivcn Pn'piiriilion
-------
Table 1. Summary of Wastes Generated, Quantity, and Disposal Methods (Continued)
T\|)c ol'Wiisk'N (.ciKTiiU'd (including I.PA ;ind
Sliiio code if iinnliciihlo)
Qu;m(i(> per Month
(iciioi'iilod
Disposiil Molliodis)
llii/iii'dous or
Noii-hii/iii'dous?
PiiiKiiiii
linishinii
( k'uniiiii/Scivcn Kecl;un;ilion
Total Hazardous Waste Generated Per Month
Total Acute Hazardous Waste Generated Per Month
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
A. General Facility Operations (Continued)
(5) Has a pollution prevention or waste minimization plan been developed by the
facility?
If yes, under which programs?
Yes
No
Yes
No
(6) Has the facility evaluated which wastes are probable candidates for reductions
through pollution prevention activities (e.g., has the facility identified or
implemented any process chemical changes to reduce air emissions or
hazardous waste generation)?
If yes, list the wastes and describe pollution prevention activities currently being undertaken.
(7) What type of training activities are conducted at the facility?
(8) Have employees been trained in the fundamentals of pollution prevention?
Yes
No
B. Wastewater
(1) Does the facility discharge wastewater into:
~
Surface Water?
Municipal Sewer?
Subsurface
System?
~
~
Receiving Stream
NPDES Permit No.
Name of WWTP
Permit No. (if applicable)
Type
A-5
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
(;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
B.
Wastewater (Continued)
(2) In the following table, indicate type of wastewater discharged, disposal method, and volume:
Wastewater
1 > in-
Surface
Water
Municipal
Sewer
Disposal
Sii Iisii rl'acc
S\stcm
Other
sanitary
Process(es)
Noncontact Cooling
Storm Water
Other
Total
Xolc.\ to Inspector:
If the facility does not know the volume of its sanitary waste discharge, it can he estimated by
multiplying the number of employees by the residential equivalent units estimate of 25-35 gallons per
day per worker.
Storm water discharges only apply to outdoor, exposed industrial areas. Industrial areas are defined
as areas where material handling equipment or activities, raw materials, intermediate products, final
products, waste materials, by-products, or industrial machinery are exposed to storm water.
C. Air
(1) Is the facility located in an area designated as nonattainment for the National
Ambient Air Quality Standard for Ozone?
(2) Is the facility designated as a major source of:
• VOCs?
• NOx?
• Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs)?
Yes
No
Yes
No
A-6
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
C. Air (Continued)
(3) If yes, is the facility subject to applicable Reasonably Available Control
Technology (RACT) requirements?
Yes
No
(4) Indicate types and estimated amounts of air emissions (e.g., VOCs) from various sources.
Typo of Emissions
' (c.e.. VOCs)
Source
(e.».. C leiiniii'^ T;i 11k)
Amount
Xolcs to Inspector:
The mass balance method can be used to estimate I'OC emissions. . In example of a mass balance to
calculate I 'OC emissions is presented below:
Example: . I printer's chemical usage for one year is ink (10.000 lbs, 15% I'()(' content/ and ink
remover (1.000 gallons, 50% I'OC and specific gravity 0.7j. 100 lbs of ink are disposed of in waste-
shipments.
hirst, determine how manv pounds of each chemical are used,
ink ' 10.000 lbs
ink remover 1.000 gallons x (0.7 x S.34 lbs gab 5.S3S lbs
Ac'xt. determine the annual amount of I'()("s used bv multiplying the pounds used bv the I OC fraction,
ink 10.000 lbsx 0.15 1,500 lbs
ink remover 5.H3S lbsx 0.5 2.919 lbs
Emissions of I'()('s can now be estimated by subtracting the disposed amount for the amount
remaining with the product) from the amount used.
discarded ink 100 lbs x 0.15 15 lbs
1.500 lbs (from second step) - 15 lbs 1.4X5 lbs-
ink remover disposed of in
cleaning cloths 500 lbs
2.919 (from second step) - (500 lbs x 0.5) 2,669 lbs-
Total I'()(' emissions are I.4S5 lbs (ink) 2,669 (ink remover) 4,154 lbs
A-7
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
C. Air (Continued)
(5) Was equipment installed under New Source Review requirements?
If yes, to which of the following is the equipment subject? Check the one that applies.
Yes
No
~
~
~
Major source best available control technology (BACT) requirements under prevention of
significant deterioration (PSD)
Lowest achievable emission rate (LAER) requirements for nonattainment areas
Minor source State or local new source review (NSR) requirements
(6) Does the facility have a permit?
Permit ID
Yes
No
If yes, does the permit cover any of the following activities? Check any that apply.
~
~
~
Construction/operation of presses, control devices, distillation units, and proofing and/or
binding equipment
Operation of existing presses, control devices, distillation units, and/or proofing and
binding equipment
Modification of existing equipment or changing materials (e.g., inks, fountain solutions,
cleaning solvents, etc.)
D. Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know
(1) Does the facility have on-site any of the Extremely Hazardous Substances (EHS)
in excess of the established threshold planning quantities?
If yes, list substances.
Yes
No
(2) If hazardous chemicals are present in excess of 10,000 lbs., have the
material safety data sheets (MSDS) (or a list of chemicals) and chemical
inventory forms been submitted to State and local emergency planning
authorities and fire departments?
N/A
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
D. Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know (Continued)
(3) Were the State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) and Local
Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) notified of their presence for local
planning purposes?
(4) Has the facility released an extremely hazardous substance (EHS) or a CERCLA
hazardous substance in excess of the Superfund reportable quantity?
If yes, was notification of the release provided?
To whom?
Was notification oral or written?
N/A
Yes
No
Was oral notification followed up by written notification?
(5) Does the facility have Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) readily available
for all hazardous chemicals used? (OSHA)
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
E. EPCRA Section 313 - Toxic Release Inventory
(1) Does the facility have ten or more full-time employees?
(2) Did the facility use more than 10,000 lbs. of at least one toxic chemical
during a previous calendar year?
If yes, did the facility file a Section 313 Toxic Chemical Release Inventory
Form R for the chemicals?
Yes
No
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
F. Hazardous Wastes
(1) Does the facility generate hazardous wastes from printing activities?
(2) Does the facility have an EPA ID No.?
EPA ID No.:
(3) Is the facility's waste determination method (i.e., to determine whether
a waste is hazardous or nonhazardous) adequate?
(a) Does the facility determine if its waste is excluded from regulation under
Part 261.4(b) (i.e., solid wastes which are not hazardous wastes, such as
household waste)?
(b) If no, does the facility determine if the waste is listed in Part 261, Subpart
D (examples of listed wastes typically found in the printing industry
include tetrachloroethylene, methylene chloride, xylene, and acetone)?
If yes, does the facility determine if the waste has been excluded from
the lists in Subpart D or Part 261.3 in accordance with 260.20 or 260.22
(which allows petitions to amend Part 261 to exclude a waste produced
at a particular facility)?
If no, does the facility determine if the waste exhibits any of the
characteristics specified in Part 261, Subpart C (for example,
characteristics of ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, and EP toxicity)?
(4) Is the facility a
| | Large quantity generator?
| | Small quantity generator?
| | Conditionally exempt small quantity (CESQG) generator?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
I. (iKNKkAL I ACU ITY INFORMATION (Continued)
F. Hazardous Wastes (Continued)
Xoh'.s to Inspector:
Check amounts in Table 1 to determine appropriate classification for facility.
Large quantity generator (l.O(i) generates 1.000 kg (2,200 lbs) of hazardous waste (I III) or more per
month. The waste must be shipped in 90 days and there is no limit to the amount that may be
accumulated.
Small quantity generator fSOdj generates between 100 kg (220 lbs) and 1.000 kg (2,200 lbs) nonacute
HIV in a calendar month. The waste must be shipped in ISO days and is limited to accumulating no
more than 6,000 kg (13.200 lbs) fill' on-site.
. I conditionally exempt small quantity generator (('liS()( i) generates no more than 100 kg (220 Ibsj
I III' in a calendar month and accumulates less than 1.000 kg (2,200 lbs) on-site: OR. generates less
than I kg (2.2 lbs) acute till ' in a calendar month and accumulates less than 100 kg (220 lbs) acute
llll'.
\l A Yes V>
(5) Excluding CESQGs, are the hazardous wastes at the facility consistent with
generator notification records (i.e., has the facility notified the State or EPA
of all generated wastes)?
(6) What are the hazardous wastes management practices? Check all that apply.
On-site: Satellite accumulation
Container storage
Tank storage
Treatment
Disposal
Other
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
i. (;i:\i:ral i ac ii.ity information (Continued)
F. Hazardous Wastes (Continued)
(7) If the facility ships hazardous wastes off-site, is a manifest system used?
(8) Does the facility generate wastes that are restricted from land disposal
(i.e., liquid hazardous wastes having a pH < 2.0; liquid hazardous wastes
containing halogenated organic compounds at > 1,000 mg/L)?
If yes, does the facility comply with Part 268 for land disposal of restricted
wastes?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
G. Toxic Substances Control
(1) Does the facility import any chemical substances (e.g., ink)?
If yes, has the facility completed the appropriate certification statement?
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
II. I'ROCI-ISS i:\ Al l A I ION
A. General Housekeeping/Materials Storage
Xole to Inspector:
Check Table I (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated. Quantity, and Disposal methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this sect ion of the checklist.
Typical wastes generated include: shop towels, used solvent and ink containers, and stir slicks.
(1) Note any potential or actual problems regarding housekeeping and storage (e.g., air emissions,
hazardous and nonhazardous solid wastes, and wastewater).
Yes No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
(2) Is the shop clean and orderly to prevent accidents and spills?
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. I»R()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
A. General Housekeeping/Materials Storage (Continued)
(3) Are chemicals kept in covered containers to minimize losses from evaporation and
spills?
(4) Does the facility use spigots and pumps when dispensing raw materials?
(5) Does the facility use funnels for transferring wastes to storage containers?
(6) Does the facility implement dry methods for cleanup whenever possible?
(7) Does the facility have a spill prevention plan?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Xole to Inspector:
Some POTIl's may require printing facilities to develop spill prevention (or slug control) plans that
include the follow-ing:
• Description of discharge practices, including non-routine batch discharges
• Description of stored chemicals
• Procedures for immediately notifying the POTU'ofslug discharges
• Procedures to prevent adverse impacts from spills
(8) Are there any floor drains leading directly to the sewer where the solvent or ink is
stored?
Yes
No
If yes, in the event of a spill, will contaminants enter the floor drains?
N/A
Yes
No
If yes, what is the characteristic of wastewater contained in the floor drains and where do the
floor drains discharge?
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PROCESS i:\ Al l A I ION (C onlinuetl)
A. General Housekeeping/Materials Storage (Continued)
(9) Are the amounts of chemicals stored in the process areas minimized to encourage
materials conservation?
(10) Does the facility use a "first-in first-out" policy to avoid the expiration of raw
materials?
(11) Are infrequently used materials ordered in small containers?
(12) Are frequently used materials ordered in large containers?
(13) Does the facility store products in locations that will preserve their shelf life?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
(14) If materials have exceeded their shelf life, are alternative uses considered
before discarding?
N/A
Yes
No
(15) Does the facility purchase materials from manufacturers that will accept
returned materials if shelf life is exceeded?
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
B. Image Processing
a. General
(1) Is image processing done at the facility?
Yes
No
Xolc to In sped or:
Check Table I (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated, Quantity, and Disposal Methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this sect ion of the checklist.
Typical wastes from image processing include the following: used film, process solutions containing
photographic chemicals (fixer and developer), and silver (dissolvedfrom processing film).
Typical hazardous wastes generated from image processing include: developers and fixers. Most
developers contain levels of hydroquinone. If disposed of as an unused product it may be defined as a
hazardous waste in applicable State regulations due to the concentration of hydroquinone. If the
hydroquinone is consumed during use and does not show up in used developer, it is not considered
hazardous. Fixers which allow silver to dissolve out of the JUm and paper can contain up to 4,000
ppm silver. . Iny solutions containing silver at concentrations greater than 5 ppm are considered
hazardous wastes.
In addition, some POTWs may have limits for silver in industrial discharges that are below 5 ppm.
The facility should be aware of the applicable silver limits for its discharge.
(2) Note any potential or actual problems regarding image processing with respect to air emissions,
nonhazardous and hazardous solid wastes, and wastewater.
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II.
PROCESS i:\ Al.l A 1 ION (Continued)
B.
Image Processing (Continued)
b. Process Solutions
(1)
List the chemicals/solutions and amounts used for:
Type Amount
Developer
Fixer
Stop Bath
(2)
How are bath solutions currently monitored?
Yes
N
0
(3)
Are bath solutions changed on a set schedule?
If yes, what is the schedule?
(4)
With respect to the process bath, does the facility do any of the following:
Yes
N
0
Add ammonium thio sulfate to silver-contaminated baths to extend the
allowable build-up of silver?
Yes
N
0
Prolong the potency of oxidation process baths by reducing their exposure to
air?
Yes
N
0
• Routinely monitor pH?
Yes
N
0
(5)
Does the facility use squeegees following all processing solutions and washes in
automatic processing machines?
\olc to Inspector:
Squeegees can significantly reduce the amount of solution carried out of the bath on the film,
reduces bath changeouts and replenishment rates. Types of squeegees include wiper blades,
squeegees, vacuum squeegees, wringersling squeegees, and rotary-buffer squeegees.
This
air
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
B. Image Processing (Continued)
(6) Does the facility use water recirculation units to reduce water use and wastewater
generation?
Yes
No
(7) If the facility uses multiple rinses, is counter-current rinsing used?
N/A
Yes
No
Xolc to In sped or:
If no, water recirculation units can reuse photoprocessing bath waters but fillers front water
recirculation units require disposal and may be considered hazardous wastes.
(8) Is an automatic film processor used?
If yes, is a continuous rinse used?
How often are the processor's chemical tanks cleaned out?
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
c. Silver Recovery
(1) Does the facility use any of the following on-site silver recovery techniques to reduce silver
concentrations in the discharge? (Check any that apply.)
~
~
~
~
~
Electrolytic silver recovery
Automatic recirculating silver recovery
Metallic replacement canisters
Ion exchange units
Other (specify)
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II.
PROCESS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
B. Image Processing (Continued)
(2) Does the facility ship wastes for off-site silver recovery?
Yes
No
Xolc to In sped or:
Several on-site and off-site silver recovery methods are available.
• On-site units include the following: electrolytic silver recovery fliSRj and metallic replacement
units. Silver removed from the HSR and the metallic cartridges and fixer solutions are hazardous
wastes and must he handled properly.
• Off site silver recovery includes sending fixer bath solutions to a fixer recycler to recover silver
and possibly regenerate the fixer or processing off-site cartridges from an on-site metallic
replacement canister.
d. Used Film
(1) Does the facility recycle photographic film?
(2) Has the facility explored the use of silverless films?
If yes, which type? (Check any that apply.)
Yes
No
Yes
No
~
~
~
Diazo
Photopolymer
Electrostatic
Has the use of these films reduced the amount of silver contaminated fixer
or wash solutions?
e. Innovative Technology
(1) Has the facility considered installing waterless paper and film developing units
to reduce the volume of fixer waste?
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
B. Image Processing (Continued)
(2) Does the facility use electronic imaging?
Yes
No
C. Stencil and Screen Preparation
a. General
Xolc to In sped or:
Check Table I (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated, Quantity, and Disposal Methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this sect ion of the checklist.
Typical wastes from stencil and screen preparation include the following: waste emulsion, paper,
spray adhesive, and wastewater.
(1) Note any potential or actual problems regarding stencil and screen preparation with respect to air
emissions, hazardous and nonhazardous solid wastes, and wastewater.
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
C. Stencil and Screen Preparation (Continued)
(2) What type of stencils are used?
Direct coating stencil
Indirect film stencil
Capillary film stencil
Hand cut stencil
~
~
~
~
b. Waste Solutions
(1) List the emulsion materials, adhesives, and any other solutions used in the stencil and
screen preparation and note any hazardous materials they may contain.
D. Printing
a. General
Xolc to In sped or:
Check Table I (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated. Quantity, and Disposal Methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this sect ion of the checklist.
Typical wastes from printing processes include the following: waste substrates, volatile organic
compounds, waste ink. empty ink containers, and used plates.
( sed printing inks can contain materials that would be considered hazardous wastes. For some
chemicals the wastes are hazardous at any concentration while for other chemicals, the wastes are
hazardous if they exceed specific regulatory limits.
Some agencies have requirements on the maximum I'()(' content for printing inks.
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
D. Printing (Continued)
(1) Note any potential or actual problems regarding printing with respect to air emissions, hazardous
and nonhazardous solid wastes, and wastewater.
b. Waste Ink and Empty Ink Containers
(1) Do any of the inks contain hazardous materials such as solvents or heavy metals
(e.g., fluorescent/bright-colored inks frequently contain higher concentrations of
heavy metals)?
List the hazardous constituents.
Yes
No
(2) Does the facility use any of the following less hazardous inks? (Check any that apply.)
| | Water-based inks
| | Ultraviolet curable inks
| | Plastisol inks
(3) Does the facility use any of the following measures to reduce cleaning? (Check any that apply.)
| | Use a standard ink sequence
| | Run similar jobs on the same day or schedule jobs using light colored inks before darker
ones
~
Dedicate one press for inks containing hazardous pigments or solvents
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PR()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
D. Printing (Continued)
(4) Does the facility do any of the following with unused portions of ink? (Check any that apply.)
| | Save for house colors
| | Offer customer discounts on leftover inks
| | Use on donated jobs
If no, what do they do with the unused inks?
(5) Does the facility do any of the following with waste inks? (Check any that apply.)
| | Reuse
| | Recycle
| | Return to the manufacturer
(6) Does the facility purchase ink in bulk containers that may be returned to the
supplier for refilling?
(7) Are inks removed from stir sticks with a scraper or spatula, rather than a towel?
(8) Are inks containing hazardous substances disposed of as hazardous waste?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II.
PROCESS i:\ Al.l A 1 ION (Continued)
D.
Printing (Continued)
c. Substrate Wastes
Yes
N
0
(1)
Is substrate use minimized by proper pre-production planning and lay-out?
Yes
N
0
(2)
Are waste paper and trash sent to a recycler?
(3)
What are the most common causes of misprints?
Yes
N
0
(4)
Does the facility monitor press performance continuously to minimize bad runs
and waste?
E.
(1)
Finishing
What type of finishing operations are done at the facility?
\olc to Inspector:
Check Table 1 (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated. Quantity and Disposal methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this sect ion of the checklist.
(2)
Note any potential or actual problems regarding finishing operations with respect to
emissions, nonhazardous and hazardous solid wastes, and wastewater.
air
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. I»R()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
Cleaning/Screen Reclamation
a. General
Xotc.\ to Inspector:
Check Table I (i.e.. Summary of Wastes (ienerated. Quantity, and Disposal Methods) to verify wastes
generated as you complete this section of the checklist.
Typical wastes from cleaning screen reclamation activities include: ink remover with residual ink.
emulsion remover, haze remover, rags or shop towels containing cleaner and ink. empty solvent
containers, and V()(' emissions from cleaning solvents. . III of these wastes are potentially hazardous
wastes, if they contain substances with /-'-listed chemicals.
Tear-down and repair of equipment can produce large quantities of cleaning waste as compared to
waste produced during normal operation.
(1) Does the facility reclaim screens?
Yes
No
(2) What type of other cleaning activities does the facility perform and how often are they
performed?
(3) Note any potential or actual problems regarding cleaning/screen reclamation activities with
respect to air emissions, nonhazardous and hazardous solid wastes, and wastewater.
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. I»R()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
F. Cleaning/Screen Reclamation (Continued)
b. Waste Solutions
(1) Describe the various processes used in the facility to reclaim screens and list the cleaning
solvents used in association with these processes.
Reclamation Task
Process Description
Cleaning Sohents I sed
Ink Removal
Emulsion Removal
Haze Removal
Other
(2) List the types of solutions used for other cleaning purposes.
(3) Does the facility purchase screen reclamation solvents that do not contain
F-listed wastes?
Yes
No
Xolc to In sped or:
/¦'-listed wastes are chemicals designated by EP. I to be hazardous wastes from non-specific source,
and have an EPA hazardous waste number beginning with /•'. . I summary of /¦'-listed chemicals most
commonly found in screen printing wastes/reams is found in Eootnote I of Table I in the main text.
The complete list of chemicals and their corresponding hazardous waste numbers are in $26 J.31 of
Title 40 of the ('ode ofl-'ederal Regulations.
(4) Has the facility worked with its vendor to find the lowest VOC solvents that work
effectively?
(5) Has the facility tested more dilute solutions of cleaning solutions to determine
whether they would be equally effective?
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. PROCESS i:\ Al l A I ION (C onlinuetl)
F. Cleaning/Screen Reclamation (Continued)
(6) Does the facility have a solvent management plan to reduce solvent waste at the
facility?
(7) Are cleaning chemicals applied to the screen evenly with a low volume method,
such as an adjustable spray nozzle and a brush, rather than being hosed on?
(8) Are "catching frames" installed behind spray nozzles to collect excess cleaning
solvent for reuse?
(9) Is a scraper used to remove as much excess ink from a used screen as possible
before a chemical ink remover is applied?
(10) Are screens reclaimed promptly after the printing run to facilitate removal of
ink and emulsion, and to reduce the chance that a caustic haze remover will be
required?
(11) Has the facility attempted the application of screen degreasers and ink degradants
before the emulsion remover to avoid the use of haze remover?
(12) If haze remover is required, is it applied only to the part of the screen that is
stained?
(13) Does the facility have solvent containers or tanks?
If yes, are solvent container lids tight fitting and in place when not in use?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. I»R()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
F. Cleaning/Screen Reclamation (Continued)
(14) Are solvent tanks equipped with emission control equipment?
If yes, specify.
(15) Are spent solvents separated to facilitate recycling or proper disposal?
If so, how are they separated?
~
~
~
Hazardous/nonhazardous
Chlorinated/nonhazardous
Other:
(16) How are waste solvents handled? (Check any that apply.)
~
~
~
Discharged to drains
Captured as liquid
Absorbed with rags, shop towels, or other absorbent materials
c. Shop Towels
(1) How are shop towels handled? (Check one that applies.)
| | Washed on premises
| | Picked up by commercial laundry:
N/A
Yes
No
Yes
No
(name of laundry)
(2) Does the facility use towels as long as possible before discarding or laundering?
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II.
PROCESS i:\ Al.l A 1 ION (Continued)
F.
Cleaning Screen Reclamation (Continued)
(3)
(4)
Are used shop towels stored in closed, fire-resistant containers?
Yes
N
0
Does the facility implement procedures to remove excess solvents or inks in the
Yes
N
0
rags so they can be cleaned by an industrial laundry?
Is the recovered solvent reused?
Yes
N
0
\olc to Inspector:
. 1 varietv of approaches can be used to minimize the amount of solvents or inks in rags. The>
e
include:
• (hanging cleanup procedures so that solvent levels are kept to a minimum in the rags
I se practices that limit the worker's ability to soak rags in solvent fplunger cans, squee
ze bottles.
daily solvent allocations, directly pour solvent waste into labeled drums, etc.)
• Developing a procedure to separate a majority of the ink and solvent from soaked rags (centrifugal
extractor or wringer)
(1)
d. Innovative Technology
Does the facility reuse or recycle solvents?
Yes
No
If yes, how is it reused or recycled?
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
II. I»R()( KSS i:\ Al.l A I ION (Continued)
F. Cleaning/Screen Reclamation (Continued)
(2) If solvents are recycled on-site:
Does the solvent recycling process generate cooling water?
\/A
Yes
No
What procedures are used to ensure cooling water is not contaminated from equipment leaks?
(3) Does the facility use a high-pressure water blaster in the ink removal and
emulsion removal process to reduce the amount of waste chemicals generated?
(4) Does the facility use fully enclosed automatic screen washers to reduce
atmospheric VOC emissions, conserve solvent, and protect workers from exposure
to hazardous chemicals?
(5) Has the facility tested baking soda sprays in the removal of ink and emulsion?
(6) Has the facility used any of the following emerging screen reclamation technologies?
Media blasting
Pulse light energy technologies
Stripping techniques
Emulsion chemistry
If yes, describe the technology and any issues associated with the use.
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iiandi.iv; and management
A. Wastewater Management
(1) List the expected pollutants in the facility's wastewater discharge.
(2) Does the POTW have sewer use limits for any of these pollutants?
If yes, list the pollutants.
Yes
No
(3) Does the facility have a current wastewater discharge permit?
If no, has the facility applied for a permit?
(4) If the facility has a wastewater discharge permit, complete the following:
List the parameters limited in the facility's permit.
N/A
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
Parameter
Limit
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iiandi.iv; and mayu;i:mi:m k oniinueti)
A. Wastewater Management (Continued)
Is the facility in compliance with the following requirements in its permit?
Permit limits
Sampling location
Sampling frequency
Parameters analyzed
Analytical methods
Reporting
Recordkeeping
N/A
Yes
No
If no is checked for any of the above items, describe the potential or actual noncompliance with
specific permit requirements.
(5) Describe any observable impact of the wastewater discharge. (For example, is the discharge
murky or are there any unusual odors?)
(6) Describe any wastewater treatment employed at the facility. (Note: This does not include any
recovery systems.)
(7) Is wastewater treatment sludge generated on-site?
If yes, how is it disposed?
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iiandi.iv; and management (Continued)
A. Wastewater Management (Continued)
If applicable, where does the water, removed from the sludge dewatering process, return to the
facility?
(8) For facilities that discharge to POTWs, did the facility notify the POTW if any
substances discharged by the facility would be a hazardous waste under 40 CFR
Part 261?
Yes
No
B. Hazardous Wastes Management
Yes
No
Is hazardous waste accumulated in containers at or near the point of generation
(i.e., in the process areas)?
N/A
Yes
No
If yes, is the capacity of the containers less than 55 gallons or is the quantity
of wastes accumulated less than 55 gallons?
Is excess accumulation removed within 3 days?
(2) Does the facility have a hazardous waste storage area?
(3) Are the waste storage containers indoors or in covered areas to prevent moisture
from seeping in?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iianduv; and may\(;i-:mi-:nt (Continued)
B. Hazardous Wastes Management (Continued)
(4) Are the hazardous wastes containers managed as follows? (Check all that apply.)
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Containers in good condition (no rusting, defects, or evidence of leaks)
Containers properly labeled as hazardous type of waste and start date of accumulation
Containers compatible with waste
Containers closed when not in use
Containers opened, handled, and stored in a manner not to cause a leak
Containers storing incompatibles kept separate
Containers appropriately stored for:
| | 90 days or less
| | 180 days or less
| | 270 days or less
For items not marked, please describe the problem.
(5) Is there adequate secondary containment capacity for free liquid wastes stored in a
storage area?
(6) Are any hazardous wastes shipped off-site?
If yes, does the facility use a manifest system?
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iianduv; and management
B. Hazardous Wastes Management (Continued)
(7) Do the manifest records contain the following? Check all that apply.
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
~
Generator EPA ID number
Generator name, address, phone number
Transporter name, EPA ID number
Designate facility name, address, phone number, and EPA ID number
Alternate facility identified
Five-digit document number
DOT shipping name, hazard class, waste code, and RQ
Containers: number, type, quantity, unit wt/vol
Proper certification, including waste minimization
Dates and signatures
(8) Have exception reports been required?
If yes, have they been submitted?
(9) Are manifest records maintained for 3 years?
(10) If wastes are reclaimed, does facility have a copy of the contractual
agreement with reclaimer?
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
N/A
Yes
No
A-37
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iianduv; and management
B. Hazardous Wastes Management (Continued)
(11) Has the facility determined and submitted notifications of hazardous waste
restricted from land disposal?
If yes, do the notifications contain the following? (Check all that apply.)
N/A
Yes
No
~
~
~
~
EPA hazardous waste number (e.g., F002)
The corresponding treatment standard(s) [see 40 CFR 268.7(a)(l)(ii) for details]
The manifest number associated with the shipment of waste
Waste analysis data, where available
(12) If land disposal restricted wastes are treated on-site, does facility have
records documenting that wastes meet land disposal restriction treatment
standards?
N/A
Yes
No
C. Air
(1) Does the facility have any of the air pollution control technologies?
If yes, check any that apply.
Yes
No
~
~
~
~
Incinerator
Carbon Absorption Unit
Condenser
Ventilation Capture System
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Checklist
111. wash: iianduv; and management
Air (Continued)
Xolc to In sped or:
. lir pollution control technologies include the following:
• Incinerators {including catalytic) Incineration of exhaust gas is widely used in the printing
industry. Often, heat Is recycled hack into the building (i.e.' heat-set offset) or process dryers.
('ompliance is monitored by incineration temperature or change in temperature across the
catalytic surface.
• ('arbon Absorption ('arbon beds capture exhaust I'()('s which are recovered periodically
through a steam stripping process. Presses facilities utilizing a single solvent can efficiently
recover solvent for on-site use. This method is typically used on larger presses with hydrocarbon
monitors to confirm efficiency.
• Condensers Refrigerated coils are used to cool exhaust gas and cause solvent to condense for
recovery. ('ondensers are not widely used in the graphics' arts industry.
(2) Does the facility have an air permit?
If no, has the facility applied for a permit?
Yes
No
Yes
No
(3) If the facility has an air permit, is it in compliance with the following requirements in its permit?
Emissions limits
Emissions monitoring
Analytical methods
Reporting
Recordkeeping
Other (describe):
\/A
Yes
No
(4) If no is checked for any of the above items, describe any actual or potential violations with
specific permit requirements.
A-39
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APPENDIX B
MULTIMEDIA COMPLIANCE/POLLUTION PREVENTION
ASSESSMENT REPORT FORM
FOR SCREEN PRINTING FACILITIES
-------
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
FACILITY NAME AND
LOCATION:
MAILING ADDRESS:
(if different)
FACILITY CONTACT(S):
Name
Title/Affiliation
Phone Number
ASSESSMENT DATE:
INSPECTOR(S):
Name
Title/Affiliation
Phone Number
REASON FOR VISIT: _
AREAS VISITED: _
DATE FORM COMPLETED:
B-l
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
i. (;i:m:rai. i u ii.ity description
Provide a general description of the facility (e.g., building age, length of business at this
location, previous owners/operators at the site, printing capacity, brief description of
processes, brief overview of wastes generated and disposal methods used, and status of P2
implementation efforts).
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
B-3
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
II. C OMIM.IAM i: ASSKSSMKM
Wastewater
Describe any observed or potential violations:
Referral to other program office
Air Quality
Describe any observed or potential violations:
Referral to other program office
Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
Describe any observed or potential violations:
Referral to other program office
Hazardous Waste [Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)]
Describe any observed or potential violations:
Referral to other program office
Toxic Substances Control
Describe any observed or potential violations:
Referral to other program office
B-4
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
III.
List each waste at the facility with any associated P2 and innovative technology
opportunities. Use additional sheets for more information.
PROCESS - IMAGE PROCESSING
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
PROCESS - STENCIL AND SCREEN PREPARATION
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
B-5
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
III.
List each waste at the facility with any associated P2 and innovative technology
opportunities. Use additional sheets for more information.
PROCESS - PRINTING
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
PROCESS - FINISHING
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
B-6
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
III.
PROCESS - SCREEN RECLAMATION/CLEANING
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
Pollution Prevention and Innovative Technology
Opportunities
PROCESS - OTHER
Raw Materials or Waste
Description
B-7
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Multimedia Compliance/Pollution Prevention Assessment Report Form
IV.
A. Compliance Violations and/or Issues [add regulatory references (i.e., 40 CFR 261.30)].
B. Potential P2 Opportunities and Innovative Technologies. (These are only suggestions and not
regulatory requirements.)
C. Follow-up Responses to Compliance Questions Asked During On-Site Assessment. (This
section should include responses to compliance questions asked during the on-site assessment
that the inspector was unable to answer.)
B-8
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APPENDIX C
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SELECTED REFERENCES
-------
APPENDIX C
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SELECTED REFERENCES
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list of pollution prevention resource materials on
the screen printing process. Rather, it contains a range of references that could be used for
initial review by the inspector. Many of these documents also contain reference lists. In
addition, discussion of specific pollution prevention techniques and innovative technologies,
or mention of trade names of commercial products, in these documents does not constitute
^u^ndoreemen^ij^commendatioi^binis^)^EP^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Alaska Health Program. April 1991. Waste Reduction Assistance Program. Waste Reduction
Guide: Printing Business.
Manual designed to assist the printing business in identifying and implementing waste
reduction opportunities.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
Aspesi, Luigi. February 1987. UVInks: Their use in four color process screen printing using UCR.
American Ink Maker. Volume 65, No. 2.
Journal article that presents the advantages of the Under Colour Removal (UCR) system in
four color process screen printing using UV inks.
California Department of Health Sciences. May 1988. Waste Audit Study: Commercial Printing
Industry. Prepared for the Alternatives Technology Section, Substances Control Division,
California Department of Health Sciences. Sacramento, CA.
Study identifying waste minimization techniques available to printers. Recommendations and
findings are included as well as checklists that can be used by printers to perform their own
waste audits.
Available From: California Department of Health
Department of Toxic Substances Control
Office of Pollution Prevention Technology and Development
Document #303—Limited to existing stock
(916) 324-1087
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
Connecticut Technical Assistance Program. August 1992. On-Site Waste Ink Recycling. The
Hartford Courant. Hartford, CT.
In-depth case study of how one large newspaper developed a waste ink recycling program. The
project addressed product quality, waste reduction, and the economic issues involved in
recycling press ink Information on testing and comparison of virgin and recycled ink are
documented. Economic information regarding the resulting cost savings is provided.
Available From: CONNTAP
50 Columbus Blvd., 4th Floor
Hartford, CT 06106
(203) 241-0777
Easton, J.R. and J.R. Provost. "Pollution Control and the Textile Printer." International Dyer,
Textile Printer, Bleacher and Finisher, Sept. 1993.
This article presents several applications of new technologies that could minimize pollution in
the textile printing industry. Methods discussed include computerized ink jet print process as
a substitute for screen printing and integration of computer systems into the color kitchen
process to reduce waste.
Hawaii Department of Health. Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch. September 1993. Hazardous
Waste Minimization News: Waste Minimization in Action - Printing Operations.
Newsletter featuring tips and ideas on reducing hazardous wastes generated at printing
operations.
Available From: Hawaii Department of Health
Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch
919 Ala Moana Blvd., Rm. 212
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 586-4373
Iowa Waste Reduction Center. Undated. Eliminating the Screen Printing Photographic Prepress:
A Case Study in Pollution Prevention and Industry Readiness.
An analysis of current practices in the screen printing industry with regard to positives
generation and waste disposal options for screen printing prepress operations.
Available From: Iowa Waste Reduction Center
University of Northern Iowa
75 Biology Research Complex
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0815
(319) 273-2079
Jones, Alan. June 1985. Container decoration: substrates and inks. Screen Printing, Vol. 75, No.
6.
This article discusses the evolution andpresent state of the decoration of plastic bottles by the
screen printing process. The advantages of UV curing inks are presented.
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
King County (Washington) Local Hazardous Waste Management Program. Screen Print Project:
Screen Printing Process (with Flow Diagram). King County, Washington.
This brief guide describes the screen printing processes including art preparation, screen
preparation, production, clean-up activities. The materials used and the wastes generated at
each step of the process are identified. A flow diagram is included to show a schematic
representation of the screen printing process, including the raw material inputs and waste
outputs.
Available from: Local Hazardous Waste Management Program
(King County, Washington)
(206) 689-3090
King County (Washington) Local Hazardous Waste Management Program. May 1994. Screen
Printers: Waste Management Guide. King County, Washington.
A guidebook that provides screen printers in King County with information about the best ways
to manage and dispose of aerosol cans, waste ink, shop towels, photo-processing solutions,
wastewater, and waste solvent.
Available from: Local Hazardous Waste Management Program (King County)
(206) 689-3090
Kinter, Marcia. August 1989. The Movement Towards Clean Air: What it Means for the Screen
Printer. Screen Printing, Vol. 79, No. 9.
This article presents information to educate the screen printing industry by exploring the Clean
Air Act and discussing the important principles involved. In addition, this article aims to help
the screen printer understand why the industry has been targeted to reduce its emissions of
pollutants.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. September 1991. Hazardous Waste
Management for Printers.
Pamphlet providing information regarding hazardous wastes, waste reduction and recycling
strategies, information available from the State of New York, and information on how to
categorize waste streams (i.e., hazardous, nonhazardous).
Available From: New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Division of Hazardous Substance Regulation
50 Wolf Road
Albany, NY 12233-7253
(212) 637-4100
Screen Printing Association International. Undated. Government Resource Book. Screen Printing
Association International.
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
This document provides the screen printer with overviews of the Federal Clean Air Act, the
safety and health regulations, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the various industrial waste
operations, and the labeling of products using ozone depleting substances.
Available From: Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging Association International
10015 Main Street
Fairfax, VA 22031
(703) 385-1335
State of Montana, Department of Health and Environmental Sciences. June 1988. The Small
Quantity Generator's Handbook for Managing RCRA Wastes - Printing and Publishing.
This is a handbook developed for the printing and publishing industry to comply with RCRA
requirements. The manual also provides insight into waste management strategies for
minimizing waste quantities. Information was compiled through site visits to various printing
shops. The handbook also summarizes the RCRA regulations that apply to printers.
Available From: State of Montana
Division of Wastes
(406) 444-1430
Also available is a 1995 Updated Version: Small Business Handbook for Managing Hazardous
Wastes.
Tellus Institute. June 1995. User's Guide: P2/FINANCE for Screen Printers (Version 1.0).
Boston, MA.
This User's Guide introduces P2/FINANCEfor Screen Printers (Version 1.0) software system,
a tool designed to assist you in evaluating the profitability of pollution prevention investments.
This guide offers step-by-step instructions for installing and using the P2/FINANCE-SP system.
P2/FINANCE-SP was designed specifically for screen printers and includes a Master List of
costs and revenues specific to the basic screen printing processes. This system also allows you
to expand the list of costs and revenues so that the software can be tailored to your business's
operations. Developed by Tellus Institute with funding from the U.S. EPA's Design for the
Environment Program in cooperation with the Screenprinting and Graphic Imaging
Association International.
Available from: Tellus Institute
11 Arlington Street
Boston, MA 02116-3411
(617) 266-5400
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. January 1976. Environmental Aspects of Chemical Use In
Printing Operations. Office of Toxic Substances. Washington, DC. EPA-560/1-75-005 [call
# PB251406],
This document contains the proceedings for the conference on " Environmental Aspects of
Chemical Use in Printing Operations. " Papers presented covered types ofprinting processes,
emissions regulations, and health hazards from printing effluents.
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
Available From: National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA
(703) 487-4650
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1983. Summary of Available Information on the
Levels and Control of Toxic Pollutants Discharges in the Publishing and Printing Point Source
Category. Effluent Guidelines Division. Washington, DC. EPA 440/1-83-400 [call #
PB92231703],
Summary of information used to develop the effluent guidelines for printers. Includes
information on data gathering, water usage, toxic pollutant discharge data, and control and
treatment technologies employed in printing industry.
Available From: National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA
(703) 487-4650
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. January 1988. Title III Section 313 Release Reporting
Guidance; Estimating Chemical Releases From Printing Operations. Office of Pesticides and
Toxic Substances. Washington, DC. EPA 560/4-88-004b [call # PB93205979],
This document was designed to assist printers in completion of Part III (Chemical Specific
Information) of the Toxic Chemical Release Inventory Reporting Form. General information
on toxic chemicals used, process wastes generated, and examples of data needs and
methodologies are included.
Available From: National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA
(703) 487-4650
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1989. Pollution Prevention in Printing and Allied
Industries: Saving Money Through Pollution Prevention (Draft). ORD Pollution Prevention
Office, Washington, DC.
Intended to provide a brief introduction to pollution prevention, including what it is, how it can
help save money, and where you can get additional assistance. Example technical options
available to printing and allied facilities are included.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Pollution Prevention. November 1989. Case
Studies from the Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (PPIC): Printing.
Washington, DC.
Provides short (1-2 page) case studies ofpollution prevention activities conducted at printing
establishments. Details regarding costs to implement practices and cost savings are presented.
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. August 1990. Guides to Pollution Prevention: The
Commercial Printing Industry. Office of Research and Development. Washington, DC.
EPA/625/7-90/008.
This guide was designed to provide commercial printers with guidelines and options to
minimize both hazardous and non-hazardous wastes. Worksheets for use in developing waste
minimization options for a facility are included.
Available From: Center for Environmental Research Information
Document Distribution Center (G-72)
26 West Martin Luther King Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45268
(513) 569-7562
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. September 1991. Achievements in Source Reduction and
Recycling for Ten Industries in the United States. Office of Research and Development,
Washington, DC. EPA/600/S-91/051 [call # PB92137470],
A collection of source reduction and recycling case studies presented to U.S. EPA as success
stories. The document includes two studies related to printing processes.
Available From: National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA
(703) 487-4650
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. July 1993. Design for the Environment Printing Project.
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 744-F-93-003.
A fact sheet describing the Design for the Environment Printing Project.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. March 1994. Federal Environmental Regulations
Potentially Affecting the Commercial Printing Industry. Office of Pollution Prevention and
Toxics. EPA 744-B-94-001.
This document presents a discussion of Federal environmental statutes potentially affecting the
commercial printing industry. It provides an overview of the regulations and the specific
chemicals used in the industry that may trigger particular regulatory requirements. This
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
document is intended for information purposes only and is not an official EPA guidance
document.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 1994. Abstracts of Pollution Prevention Case Study
Sources. Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 742-R-94-001.
This document provides sources for pollution prevention case studies. It is intended to serve
as a reference guide for locating pollution prevention case studies with economic information.
Each source listing contains a short description of the contents, a contact name and telephone
number, and a price for the document.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 1994. Printing Industry and Use Cluster Profile. U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC
20460. EPA 744-R-94-003.
This report presents a profile of the printing industry, defines a use cluster, and presents an
overview of the chemicals, technologies, and processes used in the printing industry.
Available from: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. June 1994. Summary of Focus Group Discussion with
Screen Printers and Lithographers for the Design for the Environment Printing Project. Office
of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 742-R-94-004.
This report presents the methodology used to conduct the focus groups, provides an overview
offindings, and then summarizes the findings of screen printing focus groups and lithography
focus groups separately. Individual summaries of eachfocus group, the facilitator's guides and
the "mockups" presented at the focus groups are attached as appendices.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. September 1994. Design for the Environment. Cleaner
Technologies Substitutes Assessment: Screen Printing Industry, Screen Reclamation Use
Cluster (Draft). Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA744-R-94-
005.
This document presents the Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) for screen
printing screen reclamation. Developed by the Design for the Environmentfor use by industry,
this CTSA focuses on the use cluster of screen reclamation, which is a process, rather than a
specific set of chemicals. The goal of the CTSA is to offer a complete picture of environmental
impacts, cost and performance issues associated with each option in order to allow for an
informed decision about which alternative is best for a particular situation.
Available from: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. October 1994. Design for the Environment Printing
Project. Screen Printing Case Study 2: Technology Alternatives for Screen Reclamation
(Draft). Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC.
A fact sheet describing the Design for the Environment Screen Printing Case Study 2 on
technology alternatives for screen reclamation. This case study presents descriptions of two
commercially available technologies, a description of a technology now under development,
and comparative cost, performance, and risk information for three reclamation technologies.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. December 1994. Design for the Environment Printing
Project. Screen Printing Case Study 4: Work Practice Alternatives for Screen Reclamation
(Draft). Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 742-F-95-003.
A fact sheet describing the Design for the Environment Screen Printing Case Study 4 on work
practice alternativesfor screen reclamation. This case study highlights simple changes in work
practices in the screen reclamation process that resulted in significant environmental benefits
in terms of costs, environmental impacts, and worker exposure.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. December 1994. Design for the Environment Printing
Project. Screen Printing Case Study 5: Chemical Alternativesfor Screen Reclamation (Draft).
Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 742-F-95-004.
A fact sheet describing the Design for the Environment Screen Printing Case Study 5 on
chemical alternatives for screen reclamation. This case study highlights one of eleven
alternative systems demonstrated in the DfE project, describing performance evaluations,
health and environmental risks, and costs of the alternative system.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. August 1995. Multimedia Compliance/Pollution
Prevention Assessment Guidance for Lithographic Printing Facilities. U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assistance.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. August 1995. EPA Office of Compliance Sector Notebook
Project - Profile of the Printing and Publishing Industry. Office of Compliance. Washington,
DC. EPA/310-R-95-014.
This document is part of the EPA Office of Compliance's Sector Notebook Project. It provides
a variety of summary information for the printing and publishing industry, including general
industry information, a description of industrial processes, pollution issues, and the Federal
statutory and regulatory framework.
Available From: Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402
(202) 512-1800
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Undated. Design for the Environment Printing Project:
Case Study. Design for the Environment Program; Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
EPA 744-K-93-001.
First in the series of case studies that illustrates the Design for the Environment theme. The
study describes the successfulpollution reduction program ofa printing company in Minnesota.
The company searched for safer alternatives to managing solvents and wipes.
The case study explains the methodical evaluation of the problem leading to solutions aimed
at reducing the creation of pollutants at their source.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Undated. Design for the Environment Printing Project.
Screen Printing Case Study 2: Reducing the Use of Reclamation Chemicals in Screen Printing
(Draft). Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Washington, DC. EPA 744-F-93-015.
A fact sheet describing the Design for the Environment Screen Printing Case Study 2 on
reducing the use of reclamation chemicals in screen reclamation. This case study shows (1)
how a self-audit of ink remover products used in screen cleaning led to the substitution of more
environmentally appropriate solvents, (2) how using a still to recover and reuse ink cleaning
solvent saved the money, and (3) how using a high-pressure water blaster and changing
product application techniques allowed the company to decrease its use of reclamation
chemicals.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW
Washington, DC 20460
(202) 260-1023
U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Undated. Printing and Publishing Information Packet.
Compilation of information on printing and publishing.
Available From: Pollution Prevention Clearinghouse
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M Street, SW (3401)
Washington, DC 20460
Venell, Susan. August 1985. Water-Based Inks: Why The Diluted Response? Screen Printing, Vol.
75, No. 8.
This article discusses why water-based inks, although readily available to the screen printing
industry, have not been widely accepted. Problems associated with water-based screen printing
and possible activities hindering acceptance of water-based inks are discussed.
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Annotated Bibliography of Selected References
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. September 1993. Printers Win Through Pollution
Prevention (Video). Waste Reduction Assistance Program.
"Real Life " pollution prevention options for printers are highlighted in this video. A list of
vendors and associations that may provide information beneficial to printers accompanies the
video.
Available From: Waste Reduction Assistance Program
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Pollution Prevention
P.O. Box 10009
Richmond, VA 23240-0009
(804) 762-4344
Virginia Waste Reduction Assistance Program. 1991. Waste Reduction Fact Sheet: Waste
Reduction for the Commercial Printing Industry. Vol. 1, Issue 2.
Short fact sheet on steps to reduce waste, and the toxicity of waste streams from printers.
Available From: Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
Office of Pollution Prevention
P.O. Box 10009
Richmond, VA 23240-0009
(804) 762-4344
Washington State Department of Ecology. September 1994. Environmental Management and
Pollution Prevention: A Guide for Screen Printers. Washington State Department of Ecology
Environmental Management and Pollution Prevention.
A guide focusing on (1) encouraging pollution prevention as a first step toward better
environmental management on the print shop level and (2) educating the printing industry on
applicable Federal, State, and local environmental requirements and options available to meet
those requirements.
Available from: Department of Ecology
Eastern Regional Office
North 4601 Monroe, Suite 202
Spokane, WA 99205-1295
(509) 456-2926
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