Summary of Focus Group Discussions with Screen Printers and Lithographers for the Design for the Environment Printing Project

摘要

The Design for the Environment (DfE) Printing Project is a unique, cooperative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the printing industry aimed specifically at developing pollution prevention information for printers. The project was initiated when printing industry associations came to EPA and requested assistance in evaluating products that claim to be environmentally friendly. EPA and several trade associations responded by establishing the DfE Printing Project. As one of the first steps in this project, industry representatives were asked to prioritize areas of environmental concern in printing. Blanket washes in lithography and screen reclamation products in screen printing were identified by printers as the two areas of greatest concern and have been the primary focus of the project to date. The DfE printing project is now gathering information on the performance, cost and the health and environmental risks of alternative blanket wash and screen reclamation products.