Archived publication

This publication is no longer current or has been superseded.

Appendix 5: Photography and Printing Industries

This appendix contains information on the photo processing industries that were researched in the What’s in your waste? report. The industries include photo mini-lab and sheet-fed offest printer services.

A5.1 Photo processing – mini labs
ANZSIC Code: Q952200

Process Raw materials Waste stream Type of waste Waste constituent Current management practices
(best management practice in bold) 		New Zealand Waste List entry
(* waste should be treated as hazardous)
Reduction of silver halide crystals to metallic silver Dependant upon process/manufacturer, includes organics, acids, alkalis, formaldehyde and alcohols Colour print or negative film developer Liquid Variable, depending on process Discharged to sewer in accordance with a trade waste consent

Collected by a waste contractor 		09 01 01*
Water-based developer and activator solutions
Oxidation of metallic silver to silver halides 1, 3-propylenediaminetetra acetic acid, acetic acid, ammonium bromide, ammonium nitrate, diammonium ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid, ferric ammonium propylenediaminetetra acetic acid Colour print and negative bleach Liquid Variable, depending on process Discharged to sewer if have an on-site silver recovery unit

Collected by a waste contractor for silver recovery 		09 01 05*
Bleach solutions and bleach fixer solutions
Conversion of silver halides into soluble complex silver salts Ammonium bisulphite, ammonium sulphite, ammonium thiocyanate, ammonium thiosulphate, sodium bisulphate, sodium sulphite Bleach fixer Liquid Variable, depending on process Discharged to sewer if have an on-site silver recovery unit

Collected by a waste contractor for silver recovery 		09 01 05*
Bleach solutions and bleach fixer solutions
Dye image stabilisation Formaldehyde, magnesium nitrate, methanol, polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium alkyl ether sulphate Stabiliser solution Liquid   Discharged to sewer Not classified

Industry contacts

Kodak New Zealand Ltd, PO Box 2198, Penrose, Auckland

Hanimex New Zealand Ltd, PO Box 101-500, North Shore Mail Centre, Auckland

A5.2 Photo processing – sheet-fed offset printer
ANZSIC Code: C241200

Process Raw materials Waste stream Type of waste Waste constituent Current management practices
(best management practice in bold) 		New Zealand Waste List entry
(* waste should be treated as hazardous)
Film development   Film waste Solid Waste film Collected by a waste collector for silver recovery 09 01 07
Photographic film and paper containing silver or silver compounds
Film processing See photo processing – mini labs Developer Liquid Variable, depending on process Collected by a waste collector for silver recovery 09 01 02*
Water-based offset plate developer solutions
See photo processing – mini labs Bleach Liquid Variable, depending on process Collected by a waste collector for silver recovery 09 01 05*
Bleach solutions and bleach fixer solutions
See photo processing – mini labs Fixer Liquid Variable, depending on process Collected by a waste collector for silver recovery 09 01 04*
Fixer solutions
Plate construction   Used plates Solid Aluminium plates Sold to waste contractors for aluminium recycling 09 01 99
Wastes from photographic industry
Waste not otherwise specified
Printing on substrate   Waste paper Solid Paper Sent offshore for recycling 09 01 08
Photographic film and paper free of silver or silver compounds
Wetting agent Gas Isopropyl alcohol Evaporated during printing Not classified
Printing inks Liquid Mineral or vegetable solvent Absorbed into paper and residue absorbed by cleaning rags 09 01 99
Wastes from photographic industry
Waste not otherwise specified
Cleaning of plant   Wash rags Solid Rags Cloths are laundered until unusable and then disposed 09 01 99
Wastes from photographic industry
Waste not otherwise specified
    Wastewater Liquid Alcohol/ water solution Discharged to sewer 09 01 99
Wastes from photographic industry
Waste not otherwise specified

Industry contacts

Printing Industries New Zealand, PO Box 1422, Wellington

A5.3 Cleaner production case studies

By looking at the ‘big picture’, businesses can assess areas in their operation where they can minimise or manage waste. This is called Cleaner Production and means:

  • “avoiding or reducing the amount of waste produced;
  • using energy and resources efficiently;
  • producing environmentally sound products and services;
  • achieving less waste, lower costs and higher profits.” (Source: www.arc.govt.nz)

The aim of Cleaner Production is to reduce the adverse impacts of production and service activities on the environment. Implementing Cleaner Production practices has many benefits. These include consistent and significant reductions in energy and water consumption, waste disposal, emissions and associated costs including trade waste discharge costs and landfill charges. Many of these improvements result from simple "good housekeeping" changes or implementing ideas from workers themselves. Often, once Cleaner Production has been achieved in one area of the business, it becomes easier to see other areas in which it can be achieved.

A number of New Zealand companies have been involved in a series of projects that demonstrate the benefits of Cleaner Production. These businesses have received considerable support and assistance from BusinessCare and Christchurch City Council’s Target Zero team. Some of the examples of Cleaner Production initiatives are included in this section. As the New Zealand case studies do not cover the entire range of businesses researched for this report, some of the included examples are from Australia. Where this is the case, it is important to remember that the costs and savings identified are in $AUS.

This section is intended to show what can be done by businesses and does not in any way suggest in any way that this is what the Ministry for the Environment thinks should be done. The businesses shown in the case studies may not carry out the exact processes outlined in the tables above, however they are in the same type of industry. A list of websites containing further information on Cleaner Production case studies is shown in the Bibliography.

A5.3a Mini-labs

United Photos and Graphics Services Pty Ltd

Specialist developers and printers of aerial photography film.

Projects implemented
  • Bleach regeneration – a bleach regeneration system that converts the used ferrocyanide back to a ferricyanide, thus allowing the bleach solution to be reused.
Economic benefits
  • Total cost: $40,000.
  • Total savings: $30,150-37,680 (depending on the number of films processed).
  • Payback period: 1.1–1.3 years.
Other benefits
  • Increased interest in cleaner production in other areas of the business
  • Reduction in disposal of bleach.
  • Reduction of raw chemical costs.
  • A newly developed film achieved the elimination of formaldehyde in its processing.
Constraints
  • Access to technical knowledge.

For the full article see: www.ea.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/upgs.html

A5.3b Printing

Fildes Pty Ltd (Australia)

Manufacturer of quality labels, bags and retail packaging.

Project initiatives
  • Solvent recovery system – dirty solvent from the cleaning process is fed into a distillation unit. The solvent is boiled off and recovered as a clean solvent that can be reused in the printing process. A solid residue, principally containing the ink pigments and other contaminants, is left behind. This material is relatively inert, and is disposed of to landfill in the general solid waste stream. Where possible, the solid residue from the distillation process is reconstituted with solvent to produce a useable black base ink.
Economic benefits
  • Total cost: $26,580.
  • Total savings: $10,120 per annum.
  • Payback period: 2.6 years.
Other benefits
  • Significant reduction in the generation of waste ink and disposal of solvent.
Constraints
  • None identified.

For the full article see: http://www.ea.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/fildes.html

DS Chemport (Australia) Pty Ltd (Australia)

Manufacturer and supplier of a range of chemicals used in the offset lithographic printing industry.

Projects implemented
  • Elimination of isopropyl alcohol (IPA) – a lithographic alcohol eliminator (LAE) was developed. This is a magnetic device that increases the level of hydrogen bonding, which consequently increases the viscosity of the water and therefore allows the roller system to carry greater quantities of water of fountain solution to the printing plate. The LAE unit minimises the effect of alcohol on the fountain solution.
Economic benefits

This was shown for two companies (labelled A and B).

  • Total cost: $2400 (A) and $15,000 (B).
  • Total savings: $6240 (A) and $15,120 (B).
  • Payback period: five months (A) and one year (B).
Other benefits
  • Reduced blanket build-up during printing, thereby providing for longer print run times, with associated reduction in paper losses.
  • Prevention of calcium deposit build-up on rollers caused by hard water.
  • Reduced tendency for fungal and bacteriological contamination of the fountain solution.
  • Reduced ink emulsification.
Constraints
  • Scepticism about the ability of the LAE unit to replace IPA.

For the full article see: www.ea.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/dsc.html

The Printing Office Background

A medium-sized print shop employing 30 staff.

Projects implemented
  • Dampener Roller washer system – by using high-pressure water to wash the dampeners, solvent could be eliminated from the cleaning process. The new process used seven litres per week and takes two minutes where the old method took 10 minutes.
Economic benefits
  • Total cost: $3750 capital costs.
  • Total savings: $31,820 per annum.
  • Payback period: five weeks.
Other benefits
  • Reduced solvent emissions and odour resulting in a healthier and safer work environment.
  • Water usage dramatically reduced.
  • Extended life of the dampeners resulted in replacement cost savings and reduced solid wastes to the landfill.
  • Reduction in machine down-time required to clean the dampeners resulted in improved productivity.
  • More frequent cleaning of dampeners rollers led to improved work quality and reduced spoilage.
Constraints
  • None identified.

For the full article see: www.ea.gov.au/industry/corporate/eecp/case-studies/tpo.html

 

[ | ]