Making Choices
	Solvent based inkjet ink systems
	UV curable inkjet ink systems
	Bio inkjet inks systems

Making Choices
Like all industries, printing has an impact on our environment. At FUJIFILM Sericol,
we actively promote the use of products and processes, which help to minimise the impact on our environment. We provide alternative products whenever technologically possible.
FUJIFILM Sericol’s European manufacturing site in the UK has been ISO14001certified since 1998. ISO14001 is the international environmental management system standard that confirms that a company is continually working to minimise its environmental impact.
It requires a commitment to legislative compliance and operational control of its processes.
As part of the FUJIFILM organisation, it is our intention to constantly seek to create better value for our customers by providing the right package of printer and ink system from the perspective of caring the user and the environment.
All this gives you the opportunity to choose the right type of inkjet system for the individual application.

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 Solvent based inkjet ink systems
Solvent based inkjet inks offer the user a range of benefits both in terms of cost and durability compared to other chemistries. These inks are normally more economical to purchase and by their nature provide greater adhesion to flexible media and thereby increased outdoor durability when compared to UV and Bio inkjet systems. There is however increasing concern as to the impact Solvent based inkjet systems have on the Environment.
One of the common misnomers with solvents in respect to the environment is that they contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect. These statements should be treated with care, as the most significant ozone depletes are halogenated hydrocarbons such as CFC (chlorofluorocarbons, commonly used as aerosol propellants or refrigerants). These tend to be too volatile (evaporate too quickly) to be useful in most printing process albeit may be used for certain non inkjet specific applications.
Most concern with the use of solvent based inkjet systems revolves around the emission of VOC’s (volatile organic chemicals). These are organic chemical that have a high vapour pressure and easily evaporate to form vapours at normal temperatures and pressures.
This definition covers a wide variety of chemicals, which includes many solvents used in the inkjet printing process. In many parts of the world legislation exists to limit the amount of VOC emitted to the environment. In the European Union, the solvent emissions directive places a strict limit on the amount of VOC’s that many be discharged and if this limit is exceeded requires the installation of expensive pollution control equipment. At this time this legislation doesn’t include the inkjet processes.

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UV curable inkjet ink systems
UV inkjet systems were first introduced to support the decoration of rigid media as the use of a solvent system would not dry sufficiently quick enough to make this a viable alternative the screen process. As inkjet technology has advanced so has the adoption of UV inkjet systems.
Most all inkjet printing inks are derived from non-renewable natural resources such as oil and minerals. Although IV inkjet inks are derived from these resources, they are most efficient in their use of them. The greatest difference between UV and solvent-based inks may be seen with coverage. Because UV inks do not dry and have no volatile components to evaporate way, all of the ink ends up on the finished print rather than only a small percentage of it. This means that many more prints can be produced from an equivalent volume of ink.
What are the environmental advantages of this?

1. Smaller volumes of ink are needed so less packaging is required and less transport is involved in delivering the product. Overall much less natural resource is used per print produced
2. Energy consumption is reduced as UV curing units use far less power than a heating the drying plate. Studies have indicated that UV dryers use approximately 20% less energy than a corresponding solvent based inkjet printer. Reduced energy use for UV inkjet curing means the energy producer uses fewer resources, such as oil, coal or gas, for power generation, and also therefore leads to less pollutant emission.
3.  Product safety goes hand in hand with environmental safety. As UV inks on cure when exposed to UV light they require less operator intervention in purging and cleaning the print heads.
4. Reduced waste, substrate usage may also reduced wastage by printing direct to rigid media thus removing the need to mount and laminate prints. Thee improved mileage of UB inks will also lead to reduction in waste packaging for the inks themselves
   
   

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Bio inkjet inks systems
Bio inks or inks that are derived from a renewable resource are becoming more popular as it is believed that these inks can overcome the environmental concerns with using solvent based inks whilst maintaining similar performance benefits.
This perception is not true, the reality is that Bio inks offer little or no environmental benefits and in many instances offer the user inferior performance to that of solvent based and UV inkjet ink systems. 
FUJIFILM Sericol offers a Bio inkjet system, however, before supplying this make the user aware of the following criteria.

1. Whilst it is widely assumed that Bio inks systems are derived from a renewable resource, these solvents are extracted from maize. This type of solvent tends to be slow drying, expensive and have a limited substrate adhesion. The question then becomes how much energy is required to extract the oil from the maize and how is that energy derived?
2. Colours for bio inks will not be as wide as for a solvent based ink as traditional solvent have greater flexibility to allow a wider pigment choice.
3. The chemical resistance to bio inks for alcohol and petrol is inferior to traditional solvent based and UV inkjet systems. Therefore the user needs to establish if the use of Bio inks meets the application needs to avoid the need for lamination. 
4. Solvent used is bio-degradable, this is irrelevant as it is not going to bio-degrade when discharged into the environment. Legally you are not allowed to make environmental claims if they are not relevant to how the products are used.

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