Product stewardship
Product stewardship equals responsible and sustainable handling of products throughout their entire lifecycle. EuPIA member companies are fully committed to use safe and sustainable products and ensure their safe and sustainable handling in the manufacturing process of printing inks. With our longstanding Exclusion Policy as a flagship, there are additional dedicated aspects to highlight.
Sustainability
Sustainability is key to EuPIA’s and its members’ activities. Product stewardship is the major pillar of their action, delivering safe and efficient products to use on various substrates and with different print processes.
Due to the application process of printing, a very thin layer of ink is laid down on a relatively thicker substrate, and as such, previous third-party studies have shown that the relative impact of printing inks is negligible versus the overall printed material footprint.
Nevertheless, EuPIA maintains a programme for Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) conducted by its umbrella organisation CEPE (European Council of the Paint, Printing Ink and Artists’ Colours Industry) to gather its own viewpoint on the LCA of printing inks. Our members have also received guidance and tools on how to calculate their footprint.
Lubricants made of rapeseed oil, building materials made of wood, packaging materials made of starch, or detergents made of sugar…these are just some examples of how renewable raw materials conquer industrially-manufactured products.Also, in printing inks, their number has been constantly increasing.
The terms bio-inks, biodegradable inks and compostable inks are often misunderstood and incorrectly use. EUPIA provides its perspective.
Safe handling and use
Since its beginning occupational health and safety has been a core activity of EuPIA members and several guidance documents have been developed for printing ink manufacturers and their customers.
The terms bio-inks, biodegradable inks and compostable inks are often misunderstood and incorrectly use. EUPIA provides its perspective.
This guidance note provides 10 best practice tips for handling aluminum based inks.
This guideline has been established to give advice on various aspects of laboratory safety and is intended to be supplementary to applicable national or European legislation. It covers both formulation situations most commonly met in paint and inks daily practice: either formulation of a new product or a change to an existing formulation.
These guidelines establish the minimum requirements to ensure that the proper procedures for Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) use and operations are followed, to prevent injury, loss of life, or catastrophic events such as fire, explosions or releases. They are in line with various global laws and regulations and in accordance with ISO 45001 and/or ISO 14001, and OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-Operation & Development) Guidelines that address IBC safety.
This document covers the use of Work Permits, helping to improve Safety performance at printing ink manufacturing sites.
UV and EB printing inks are intended to be cured after printing by exposure to UV or EB radiation. In order to fulfil their function, products of this type are based on reactive acrylates or other reactive chemicals which are often classified as skin and eye irritants. This guideline provides handling and use recommendations to protect workers’ health during ink manufacture.
Energy curing technology is important in the production of all types of printing applications where their fast drying, durable and high gloss finish make them suitable for immediate use. The purpose of this document is to provide guidance on the safe use of Ultraviolet (UV) and Electron Beam (EB) inks and varnishes.
This document looks at fundamental requirements that must be in place to ensure that the risk to workers’ safety caused by running mixers and moving parts is minimised. Ass a general rule, all measures employed must comply with the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and the corresponding national legislation as well as relevant technical standards.
Flammable liquids, both raw materials and finished products, are frequently used in manufacturing sites. This guidance document highlights the main electrostatic hazards associated with handling of flammable liquids, together with sources of information to assist with safe handling to avoid fires through static ignition of flammable atmospheres.
Printing inks based on nitrocellulose (NC) are an often used solvent ink type in rotogravure and flexographic printing of packaging. In order to assist the printer to safely apply and use the ink and related products that contain NC this document sets out some guiding rules for proper handling.
Printing inks based on nitrocellulose (NC) are an often used solvent ink type in rotogravure and flexographic printing of packaging. In order to assist the printer to safely apply and use the ink and related products that contain NC this document sets out some guiding rules for proper handling.
This information note explains that ongoing regulatory actions concerning tattoo inks are not relevant for EuPIA members’ products.
Printing inks and related products may be used in the production of children’s toys. This statement explains how the planed changes to the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and associated European standards apply to these materials.