Water Treatment for the Printing Industry

While there have been changes within the printing industry over the years, the printing process and chemicals are basically the same - at least for the present. There is now concern and activity due to the impetus from governmental, environmental and occupational safety regulations that is changing the industry's focus. These changes range from utilizing water based fountain solutions to complying with regulations on discharge to the sewer system. Enforcement of such regulations will stimulate the industry to become cognizant of the different water treatment processes available. Based on this, the following is a description of the four major processes used within the industry. Note: From a suppliers perspective, the printing industry is fragmented. For example, sixteen SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) codes are used to characterize the industry from a census viewpoint. Therefore, it is not feasible to provide specific water treatment recommendations for a particular process as it may pertain to colors, inks, papers, press operation, etc. There are four basic water treatment processes that the printing industry needs to consider: filtration, softening, deionization and reverse osmosis. There are four basic water treatment processes that the printing industry needs to consider: filtration, softening, deionization and reverse osmosis.