HP Latex Inks: Health and Environmental Advantages
SSMedia7 and HP have teamed to provide all of our customers with
Water-based HP Latex Inks that provide health and environmental advantages - compared to eco-solvent, solvent, or UV-curable inks - from the work zone to the point-of-display of finished prints and recycling of consumables.
Third-generation HP Latex Inks include a number of significant innovations that take the benefits of HP Latex Inks to a new level. HP Latex Inks provide outdoor durability and versatility across all common media types used in sign and display applications together with high quality, odorless prints, low maintenance, and the reduced environmental impact of water-based inks. HP Latex Printing Technologies address environmental and health concerns across a broad range of attributes throughout the entire life cycle of a print from production to disposal. The water-based formulation of HP Latex Inks fundamentally provides healthier print production without trading off performance.
Health and environmental performance and certifications
The water-based formulation of HP Latex Inks and HP Latex Optimizer offers a healthier solution that better meets the health and environmental objectives of both print service providers and their customers.
Performance
No special ventilation is required with HP Latex Inks.1 HP Latex Inks have no hazard warning labels, contain no Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs),2 are non-flammable and non-combustible,3 and are nickel-free.4 HP Latex Inks allow print service providers to produce odorless prints for indoor display in sensitive environments such as hospitality and healthcare.
Certifications
HP Latex Inks have qualified for certifications that demonstrate they meet some of the world's most rigorous and comprehensive standards for low chemical emissions into indoor air.
1 Special ventilation equipment (air filtration) is not required to meet U.S. OSHA requirements.
2 HP Latex Inks were tested for Hazardous Air Pollutants, as defined in the Clean Air Act, per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Method 311 (testing conducted in 2013) and none were detected.
3 Water-based HP Latex Inks are not classified as flammable or combustible liquids under the USDOT or international transportation regulations. Testing per the Pensky-Martins Closed Cup method demonstrated flash point greater than 110° C.
4 Nickel free demonstrated according to testing conducted for HP Latex Inks to achieve UL ECOLOGO® Certification. UL ECOLOGO® Certification to UL 2801 demonstrates that an ink meets a range of stringent criteria related to human health and environmental considerations (see ul.com/EL)
UL ECOLOGO® Certified HP Latex Inks meet a range of stringent human health criteria. 5 As of January 2014, HP is the only large format digital printing manufacturer to earn UL ECOLOGO® Certification for latex printing inks. HP Latex Inks are GREENGUARD GOLD Certified to standards for low chemical emissions into indoor air.6
In addition, prints produced using HP Latex Inks on HP PVC-free Wall Paper meet AgBB criteria for health-related evaluation of VOC emissions of indoor building products.7 These prints are rated A+ (very low-emission) according to the Émissions dans l'air intérieur.statement on the level of emission of volatile substances in indoor air posing health risks if inhaled.8
Recyclability
An important component of total environmental performance is the recyclability of used consumables. All HP 831 printing supplies—including ink cartridges, printheads, and maintenance supplies—as well as HP 881 Latex Printheads are recyclable through the HP Planet Partners program.9 HP 881 Latex Inks are supplied in 5-liter ink cartridges, where approximately 70% of the weight of the used ink cartridge is a recyclable cardboard container.
Health and environmental performance compared
The entries in Table 1 on the following page compare HP Latex Ink technology to competitors with leading market share as of December 2013. Entries are based primarily on analysis of published MSDS/SDSs10 accompanied by HP internal analysis and evaluation where needed. Performance of specific attributes may vary by competitor and variations in ink formulation within a printer product line.
Results
Table 1 clearly demonstrates that HP Latex Inks offer a healthier solution than competing ink technologies in commercial large format print production.Summary
Compared to other leading inkjet ink technologies used in commercial large format print production, water-based HP Latex Inks offer a healthier solution from the print shop to the customer’s point-of-display and the recycling of consumables.9 HP Latex Inks meet a range of stringent human health criteria represented by UL ECOLOGO® and GREENGUARD GOLD Certifications.5 ,6