Printing Ink
The state promotes sustainable procurement by encouraging resource conservation and sustainable sourcing of materials. Conventional printing ink used in commercial applications may have high volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals in ink that can lead to soil and even water pollution when left in landfill. The plastic containers can take thousands of years to degrade and even then, these can continue to pollute the environment.
Sustainable printing inks address these impacts through the introduction of bio-renewable materials used to make inks, and the reduction of VOCs. In addition, incorporating take-back programs helps divert ink containers for being disposed of in landfills, and provide a path to dispose of unused inks following applicable laws and regulations.
The state procures commercial application printing inks through a statewide contract. This mandatory contract offers water-soluble inks made with bio-renewable content. The contract includes a take-back program to help dispose of unused ink, following applicable laws and regulations, as well as to divert ink containers from the landfills, and can be directed for remanufacturing or recycling facilities.
Contract Name: Ink, Printing
Contract Number: 1-22-75-62
The following technical and environmental specifications are incorporated in the state's contract and are linked here for informational purposes only.
Printing Ink
3610-5903 Printing Ink Bid Specification
Laws
Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District (SMAQMD), Regulation 04-Prohibitory Rules, under 450 Graphic Arts Operations 301 Standards Section, VOC content limits for materials used in graphics arts operations.
U.S. Environmental Preferable Agency (EPA) Method 24 Determination of Volatile Matter Content, Water Content, Density, Volume Solids, and Weight Solids of Surface Coatings
The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 (CAAA)
The Clean Water Act of 1972 (CWA) The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act of 1974 (RCRA)
The Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendment Act of 1984 (HSWA)
Regulations
None
Policy
Executive Order N-19-19 – Climate Change
National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (Napim) Certification
G7 Certification for printing ink
International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 12647-1 to -7 Standards for printing process; CMYK Print (set of quality control guidelines for their printing process)
ISO 2846-1 Graphic Technology – Colour and Transparency of Printing Ink Sets for Four-Colour Printing – Part 1: Sheet-fed and heat-set web offset lithographic printing
ISO2846-2 Graphic Technology – Colour and Transparency of Printing Ink Sets for Four-Colour Printing – Part 2: Coldset offset lithographic printing
American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) D5403-93 Standard Test Methods for Volatile Content of Radiation Curable Materials
ASTM D6419 Standard Test Method for Volatile Contents of Sheet-Fed and Coldset Web Offset Printing Inks
ASTM D4713 Standard Test Methods for Nonvolatile Content of Heatset and Liquid Printing Ink Systems
Buying Tips
Look for:
- Water soluble inks.
- Printing inks with a minimum of 60% bio-renewable content (BRC).
- Printing inks certified by the National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (Napim).
- Printing inks with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) less than 0.2 lb. per U.S. gallon.