Print and Related Industry Air Quality

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier B.V. Small printing facilities and photocopying shops present diffuse and permanent polluters. Each printing technique (pad, screen, offset, flexography, digital) is unique in its own way, with certain characteristics of waste flows. As a daily companion to human activity, the printing industry generates wastes classified roughly as solid, liquid and gaseous wastes. The most common emissions produced by the printing process of all techniques are volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from process chemicals and cleaning solutions. In addition, many VOCs, present in higher concentrations in indoor environments, are considered to be toxins. Dry-process photocopiers have been implicated as contributors to indoor air quality problems too. Photocopying process has been found to be a source of ozone, VOCs, nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and ammonia. These pollutants can be easily emitted from photocopying equipment and aggravate atmosphere of an industrial environment related to the printing industry.