Is water-based ink really green?

When it comes to water-based inks, people will mention its environmental protection. Compared with traditional solvent-based inks, water-based inks are indeed environmentally friendly for the ink's own process, but printing is a complex chemical process. In the actual printing process, can water-based inks truly be environmentally friendly? ?

At the first exposition held in Beijing from June 2nd to 4th, 2010, Mr. Zheng Qianwu, general manager of the cigarette packaging ink project of Zhuhai Letong Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. raised certain questions about the environmental protection of water-based inks. The water-based ink itself is environmentally friendly, but water-based inks are used for printing. The biggest disadvantage is that it changes the fiber structure of the printed paper, resulting in the paper fibers can not be reconnected and affect the regeneration process. Mr. Cheng stated that because water-based inks affect paper fibers, many papers have encountered difficulties in the process of recycling, becoming pulp and unable to be used again.

Compared to solvent-based inks, water-based inks have been buzzing in the industry. In this exhibition, water-based inks are everywhere. Water-based flexographic inks and water-based gravure inks appear to be "water based." The word, printing becomes more green and environmentally friendly, and with solvent chemical ingredients, it will be reminiscent of pollution.

In fact, our life is always inseparable from chemical solvents. Our daily necessities such as shampoo, shower gel, and laundry detergent will contain certain solvents. Mr. Zheng said that for ink production, the most stringent standard is food ink. Many of our food inks are also based on the improvement of solvent-based inks. These inks are more environmentally friendly, such as soy inks. We do not necessarily have to emphasize water-based, water-based ink is irreversible for the destruction of paper, and to strengthen the research of solvent-based inks, the development of more improved formula products will make ink more environmentally friendly in the use of printing.

This thought of a stone paper littered by people's speculation some time ago. Is stone paper green? The stone paper itself is environmentally friendly, but if you look at it from the links involved in the production, use, and reuse of stone paper, these industrial chains are really so environmentally friendly?