The main issues surrounding printing inks and the environment are:

Some ink pigments contain metallic substances such as cadmium, chromium, lead and mercury, which are harmful to human health and the environment.

Conventional printing inks use oils that are petroleum-based (non renewable sources).

The inks emit Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) as they dry, making them a health hazard to press and print workers – as well as creating ozone pollution or photochemical smog.

We only use vegetable based inks. Vegetable based inks are an alternative to petroleum based inks. The oils can be made from a variety of vegetables such as corn, walnut, coconut, linseed, canola and soy-beans. The environmental benefit of this is that the oils are a renewable resource.

In addition, once the jobs are printed, the printing presses can be cleaned using a water based cleaner as opposed to one high in solvents. Vegetable inks are easier to de-ink, assisting in the recycling process.