VOC control measures and demonstration projects in the printing industry - 2006

VOC control measures and demonstration projects in the printing industry - 2006

In the mid-200s, environmental regulations were tightened in Japan against the backdrop of the Kyoto Protocol coming into effect. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in particular have become a serious problem in urban areas as a cause of photochemical smog, and the 2006 revision of the Air Pollution Control Law imposed a 30% reduction target on businesses. In response, the Ministry of the Environment established the "VOC Emission Inventory Study Group" to ascertain actual emissions by industry and to study reduction measures. The gravure printing industry, in particular, uses a large amount of solvents and is mainly composed of small and medium-sized enterprises, which were conspicuously slow to take action, and management burden and regulatory concerns were strongly pointed out. The Environmental Technology Demonstration Model Project was introduced to address these issues. Here, development of low-VOC inks and demonstration tests of solvent recovery and reuse equipment were
conducted, and the results were made public to promote understanding and participation by businesses. A cooperative system of government, researchers, and industry associations was established, and the project became an opportunity for the entire industry to move beyond mere regulatory compliance to a more environmentally responsive approach. While the VOC regulations placed a burden on businesses, they also provided an opportunity for technological innovation and the creation of new markets, and were significant in that they laid the foundation for the later expansion of environmental businesses.