Abstract |
Emissions of VOC solvents used in cleanup applications in lithographic printing amount to about four tons per day in the South Coast Basin, which is located in southern California. The South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) established VOC limits on these solvents that become effective in July of 2005. For on-press blanket and roller cleaning, the VOC content of the cleaners will be reduced from 800 or 600 grams per liter to 100 grams per liter or less if feasible. In a three year project, the Institute for Research and Technical Assistance (IRTA), a non profit technical organization, worked with 10 lithographic printing facilities in the South Coast Basin to identify, test and demonstrate alternative low-VOC, low toxicity on-press cleaners. The project was sponsored by Cal/EPA's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), U.S. EPA and the SCAQMD. This document reports the results of the project. Another related project sponsored by SCAQMD is still underway and, when it is completed, the results of the two projects will be integrated. The SCAQMD project involves working with an additional 10 lithographic printing facilities. |