The Environmental Impact of a Printing Plate

• Waste. All of these resources need to be disposed of after use. For most systems, this is essentially chemistry and the empty containers. The amount of waste generated closely tracks the amount of chemistry used, except in those cases where chemistry is diluted. Depending on local regulations, water can be treated and disposed of safely. For silver-based plates from Agfa and others, a silver recovery system is required before the waste can be disposed of locally. The environmental impact of and legal requirements for disposing of chemistry—and even wash water—for your particular region should be investigated as part of the analysis for each plate solution you consider.