Fact Sheet: Air Pollution Requirements for the Printing Industry

Number 10, February 1997
Ohio EPA, Division of Air Pollution Control
Small Business Assistance Program

Is your company a screen, lithographic, rotogravure, or flexographic printer?

You may be required to obtain air permits for your presses depending on your operations and material usage.

What operations at my facility emit air pollution?

Potential sources of air pollution from printing operations are inks, fountain solutions, clean up materials, and adhesives which contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Even "water-based" inks contain some VOCs. Ohio EPA often requires air permits for printing presses since they emit VOCs. Once emitted, many VOCs combine with other substances in the atmosphere to form smog.

How much air pollution does my company emit?

First, make a list of all inks, varnishes, fountain solution additives, clean up solvents and other VOC-containing materials used on your company's presses. Next, determine how much of each VOC containing material you use each year and the amount of VOC in each of these materials. Multiplying each material's VOC content (lbs/gallon) by the gallons used determines the total VOCs emitted. Review your annual purchase records and check each material's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for its VOC content. Your supplier may also have this information readily available.. Generally, it is best to determine material usage for each press so annual VOC emissions per press can be calculated.

How do I comply with air pollution requirements?

If you have or plan to install a nonheat-set or sheet-fed press which emits less than three tons per year of VOCs, you may be exempt from air permitting requirements. Otherwise, you should obtain installation and operating permits prior to installing or operating each press. The permits will establish emission limits for VOCs and will also require record keeping and reporting of material usage or production rates either monthly or quarterly. If you emit more than ten tons of VOCs per year, a closer look at the specific compounds in the VOC composition is required, since additional federal regulations may apply.

What help is available?

The Ohio EPA's Office of Compliance Assistance and Pollution Prevention (OCAPP) is designed to help businesses with less than 100 employees comply with air pollution laws and regulations At your request, we will come to your facility to determine exactly what you need to do to comply with air permitting regulations. This is a consultation, not an inspection. We can calculate emissions or do calculations documenting permit exemptions you may qualify for, as well as help you to correctly and completely fill out permit application forms. All information and services are free and confidential. For more information, contact the OCAPP at (614) 644-3469 or (800) 329-7518.

Your local or district air pollution control office also can provide information. To contact the air pollution control office in your area, call (614) 644-2270 and provide the name of the county where your plant is located.

How can emissions be reduced?

Ohio EPA is urging companies to investigate pollution prevention and energy conservation. Not only will this reduce pollution and energy consumption, but it can also save you money and reduce your EPA reporting requirements. If you would like to learn ways you can save money while protecting the environment, please contact the OCAPP at (614) 644-3469 or (800) 329-7518.