In the past, the creation of new paints and dyes focused solely on achieving vibrant colours – often with devastating consequences. Arsenic- and lead-based formulations caused illness and fatalities in both factories and homes. While this may sound like a relic of Victorian times, it highlights an enduring issue: manufacturers have not always prioritised the scrutiny of chemicals for their effects on human health and the environment. Even today, toys are recalled due to paints containing unsafe levels of lead.
In 2007, the EU introduced the REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) to safeguard human and environmental health from chemical risks. REACH established formal procedures for gathering and evaluating information on the properties and hazards of substances, marking a vital step towards improved safety for consumers and workers.
Data collected under REACH has exposed the harmful side effects of many substances once thought to be safe. This has led to an acceleration in substance reclassifications, a trend that shows no sign of slowing. The growing body of information is placing both domestic and industrial chemicals under increased scrutiny, including pigments and other substances essential to producing vibrant printing inks.
For ink developers, reformulating products to remove harmful substances has become routine. They are working tirelessly to meet the demands of EuPIA standards by eliminating substances reclassified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (CMR) from their formulations.
Natasha Jeremic, Ink Development Manager at Domino Printing Sciences, examines how the European Commission’s new Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework could help ink developers anticipate future reclassifications. Coupled with digitalisation, this framework has the potential to accelerate the development of safer inks.
Safe and Sustainable by Design
In October 2020, the European Commission introduced its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability as part of the EU’s zero-pollution ambition and a cornerstone of the European Green Deal. This strategy seeks to enhance protection for citizens and the environment while fostering innovation in the creation of safe and sustainable chemicals.
The Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework expands upon this strategy. Although currently voluntary, it offers a structured approach to driving innovation in chemical and material development across industries. By prioritising safety and sustainability, the framework aims to safeguard both human health and the environment.
A key focus of the SSbD framework is encouraging the creation of alternatives to hazardous substances. But what does this mean for ink developers, manufacturers, and end-users?
Aligning Printing Ink Formulation with Safe and Sustainable by Design Principles
Adopting the principles of Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) enables ink developers and manufacturers to anticipate and mitigate the potential impact of reformulation while staying ahead of evolving sustainability regulations.
To achieve a comprehensive understanding of the processes involved in the formulation, production, and use of commercial printing inks, manufacturers must consider not only their internal processes but also the upstream implications in sourcing materials and the downstream effects of disposal and recycling. Taking a balanced approach across the entire lifecycle is crucial to ensuring that improvements in one area do not lead to unintended consequences elsewhere.
In practical terms, SSbD’s proposed assessment of materials and processes in relation to their impact on users and the environment could involve:
- Avoiding the use of toxic and hazardous chemicals to reduce exposure throughout the product lifecycle, resulting in CMR-free ink formulations with minimal pollutant emissions.
- Evaluating the impact of materials on production employees and end-users, including press operators and maintenance staff.
- Opting for raw materials from renewable sources where possible.
- Prioritising ink formulations with quick drying times to reduce energy consumption.
- Choosing packaging that minimises user contact with the ink, with a preference for reusable or recyclable options.
- Identifying digital tools to support formulation testing and development, reducing chemical exposure and improving employee safety.
Digitalisation in Printing Ink Formulation
The digital tools mentioned earlier may include systems incorporating AI, robotics, and automation. When combined with other SSbD principles, these technologies can help ink manufacturers accelerate the identification of new ink formulations, enabling increased chemical testing while minimising exposure and risk to chemists. Digital technologies can significantly support the safe and sustainable research and development of new ink formulations, speeding up development processes and ensuring quicker delivery of improved, safer ink formulations to end-users. Technologies used to enhance the ink formulation and manufacturing process include machine learning and AI tools to identify target formulations, as well as robotics and automation tools to streamline development while reducing costs, waste, and manual labour.
Machine learning tools, trained on reliable data concerning existing ingredients, processes, and ink properties, can identify relationships and address gaps. This automated, detailed analysis may uncover new formulations that would otherwise have been overlooked or would have taken considerable time for human analysis. AI can also propose alternative substitutes for problematic substances and predict which new formulations are most likely to succeed in further lab-based testing.
AI and machine learning can reduce the number of experiments needed to find an ink formulation with the desired physical properties (such as reliable and precise drop placement) by up to 70%. AI can also help identify the end-user properties of a new ink, including adhesion, durability, colour, and appearance on the substrate, optimising the formulation for commercial printing.
Automation can further improve efficiency during the experimentation phase. Mixing robots can create ‘promising’ formulations more quickly than manual processes. This ‘hands-off’ experimentation frees up lab technicians to focus on future formulations and ensures higher precision in handling materials and cleaning fluids. As a result, less chemical waste is produced, chemical usage is reduced, and CO2 emissions are cut, making the process safer and more sustainable.
Forward-looking Ink Manufacturers Embrace Digital Technologies
Progressive ink manufacturers are already adopting digital technologies to improve their ink formulation processes. They are keen to harness the advantages of digitalisation, including faster time-to-market for new formulations, sustainability improvements, and waste reduction.
At the forefront of this change is the ‘chemist of the future’ – a tech-savvy, digitally-minded individual who is equally at ease with both chemical and technological knowledge. This role will be pivotal in successfully implementing an efficient, digitised R&D process. By using digital technologies, the ‘chemist of the future’ will be able to identify and exclude substances likely to be reclassified – not just in the short term but looking as far ahead as possible. This will help anticipate potential supply issues and avoid complex and costly reformulations down the line.
Conclusion
To safeguard their brand, customers, and end consumers, converters should always seek to partner with a well-established, reputable ink supplier who adopts a forward-thinking approach to ink formulation and manufacturing. Ideally, this would be an equipment supplier that develops and manufactures its inks in-house, with formulations specifically designed to deliver optimal print results on their inkjet presses.
A partner that embraces the SSbD framework and invests heavily in the latest digital technologies to enhance ink formulation and manufacturing processes will be better equipped to anticipate and respond to regulatory changes. This foresight will ensure the timely delivery of innovative, compliant consumables, keeping packaging print safe and vibrant for years to come.
