China will introduce the limit value of VOCs in inks in 2019

According to the requirements of the project on the production and use of high-VOCs solvent-based coatings, inks, adhesives, etc. in the key areas of the “Three-Year Action Plan for Winning the Blue Sky Defence War” issued by the State Council, the China Standards Management Committee announced that the limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) content were drafted by June 2019, developed before the end of 2019, and first implemented in key areas by 2020.

It is understood that there is currently no international standard for the limits of ink VOCs content. The relevant standards in China are “Technical Requirements for Environmental Labeling Products, Offset Ink”, “Technical Requirements for Environmental Labeling Products, Gravure Ink and Flexo Printing Ink”, “Water-based Tobacco Ink Printing Ink” and “Paper Gravure Ink” series standards. However, there are problems such as lack of pertinence and lagging behind industrial development.

 

Development of UV inks and photoinitiator industry

The introduction of this standard will have a huge impact on the ink industry. Ink products with excessive VOCs content are bound to be phased out. The introduction of this standard is conducive to the development of UV inks and has positive significance for promoting the development of the photoinitiator industry.