GLRPPR: P2Rx Topic Hubs

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Printing-Lithography: Operations

Navigation:

Table of Contents

Background and Overview

Operations

Complete List of Links

Essential Links:

Printing Process Descriptions - Overview
Printing process flow diagrams for flexography, lithography, gravure, letterpress, plateless, postpr...

Overview of lithographic printing process

Process Inputs and Outputs

PREPRESS - Imaging Process (Overview)

Inputs Outputs

Film Exposed, waste, and out-of-date film

Paper Scrap Paper

Markers and Sprays Air vapors and odors

Developer Spent Developer

Fixer Spent fixer and the silver from the film

Wash Water Used rinse water

Shop Towels and other wipers Rags containing solvents, waste
Waste paper from disposable towels

Cleaning Solutions Waste solvents, air vapors and odors

Chemical Storage Containers and Empty Containers

PREPRESS - Platemaking Process (Overview)

Inputs Outputs

Metal, paper, plastic or silver bearing press plates Damaged or unusable plates, waste metals, paper and plastic. Waste silver halides from silver master plates

Water Contaminated process wash water

Developer Spent developer may contain alcohol

PRODUCTION - Printing Process (Overview)

	Inputs		Outputs
	Fountain Solutions		Tainted and unused solutions, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), air emissions
	Ink		Waste ink, hazardous waste, air emissions
	Water		Waste water used in cleaning, fountain solutions or solvents
	Paper		Unacceptable prints and waste paper
	Plates		Outdated or exhausted press plates, silver and waste metal
	Solvents		Waste and dirty solvents, air emissions
	Shop Towels		Rags containing inks, solvent and metals Waste paper from disposable towels

FINISHING - Post Press Operations (Overview)

	Inputs		Outputs
	Paper		Reject prints and edges from trimming
	Adhesives/Glue		Overspill and emissions
	Shipping Boxes		Used boxes, shipping materials
	Shop Towels		Rags containing oil, grease, solvents, and metals
	Water		Waste wash water containing adhesives, solvents
	Solvents		Vapor emissions, used and waste solvents and parts washers

Pollution Prevention (P2) options are by definition only available through changes to the material inputs or process portions of the operation. The best management option for wastes (outputs) which cannot be completely eliminated is to reduce then recycle, followed by treatment and disposal, in decreasing order of preference.

Note that only changes made at the Input and Process level make improvements to core operations, thereby providing an investment into the operations, changes designed for improved output efficiency.

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The Topic Hub™ is a product of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx)

The Printing-Lithography Topic Hub™ was developed by:

Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable
Contact email: glrppr@istc.illinois.edu

Hub Last Updated: 7/28/2009


GLRPPR is a member of the Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange, a national network of regional information centers: NEWMOA (Northeast), WRRC (Southeast), GLRPPR (Great Lakes), ZeroWasteNet (Southwest), P2RIC (Plains), Peaks to Prairies (Mountain), WSPPN (Pacific Southwest), PPRC (Northwest).