Environmental Impacts of a Printing Plates that In-plant Printers Should Consider

By John Zarwan

• Chemistry. Most digital plates require the use of chemistry for development or washout. There are nevertheless a variety of options available to reduce the amount of chemistry used, including intelligent processors, reduced chemistry plates and processless plates.

• Water. Plate processing uses water both to wash the plate and, in some cases, dilute the chemistry. Water is a scarce resource in many geographies; many systems allow for water to be recirculated. Water recirculation is particularly beneficial for conventionally developed plates. Chemistry-free and processless plates use little if any water.