07/11 Rule 74.19: 1 

VENTURA COUNTY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT 

RULE 74.19 - GRAPHIC ARTS 

(Adopted 8/11/92, Revised 9/10/96, 4/10/2001, 11/11/2003, 06/14/2011) 

A. Applicability 

The provisions of this rule apply to: 

1. Any person who applies any ink, coating, adhesive, fountain solution, or solvent 

containing Reactive Organic Compounds (ROC) as part of a graphic arts 

operation. 

2. Any person who manufactures or supplies any ink, coating, adhesive, fountain 

solution, or solvent containing ROC sold for use in a graphic arts operation in the 

District. 

B. Requirements 

1. Inks, Coatings, and Adhesives: No person shall apply the following inks, 

coatings, or adhesives with an ROC content in excess of the following limits: 

ROC Limits 

Grams of ROC per Liter (Pounds of ROC per Gallon) of Coating, Ink, or 

Adhesive, Less Water and Exempt Organic Compounds 

 

 Category Limits

 Inks 300 (2.5) 

 Flexographic Inks on 

 Porous Substrates 225 (1.88) 

 Coatings 300 (2.5) 

 Adhesives 150 (1.25) 

For low-solids inks, coatings or adhesives, which have 120 grams per liter (1 

pound per gallon) or less of solids, the ROC content is on a grams per liter of 

material basis. 

 2. Fountain Solution: Until January 1, 2012, no person shall apply fountain solution 

with an ROC content in excess of the following limits: 

Limits 

Grams of ROC per Liter (Pounds of ROC per Gallon) of Material 

 Effective Dates

 Category Limits

 Fountain Solution 80 (0.67) 

 Fountain Solution-Refrigerated 100 (0.83) 

 The l00 g/l (0.83 lb/gal) limit shall only apply to refrigerated fountain solutions 

that are cooled to 55oF or less at the supply tank. A visible or easily accessible 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 2 

temperature readout shall be installed, and a sensor shall measure the fountain 

solution temperature at the supply tank connected to the operating press. 

 

 Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall apply any fountain solution with an 

ROC Content in excess of any of the following limits: 

FOUNTAIN SOLUTION LIMITS 

BY PRINTING METHOD 

LIMITS 

ROC 

CONTENT1

(Percent by 

weight - 

applied 

LIMITS 

ROC 

CONTENT 

(Grams per 

Liter - 

applied) 

a. HEATSET WEB-FED OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING 

 1) If no refrigeration and contains alcohol: 1.6 16 

 2) If refrigerated below 55oF and contains alcohol 3.0 30 

 3) If no alcohol in fountain solution 5.0 50 

b. NON-HEATSET WEB-FED OFFSET LITHOGRAPHIC 

 PRINTING (Use of alcohol prohibited in this fountain solution) 

5.0 50 

c. SHEET-FED LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING if maximum 

 sheet size is greater than 11X17 inches or if total solution 

 reservoir is greater than one gallon: 

 

 1) If no refrigeration and contains alcohol 5.0 50 

 2) If refrigerated below 55oF and contains alcohol 8.5 85 

 3) If no alcohol in fountain solution 5.0 50 

d. ALL OTHER PRESSES NOT LISTED ABOVE 

 1) If no refrigeration 8.0 80 

 2) If refrigerated below 55oF 10.0 100 

 

 Any refrigerated chiller used shall be equipped with a visible or easily accessible 

temperature gauge, and the sensor shall measure the fountain solution temperature 

at the supply tank connected to the operating press. 

 Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall use any fountain solution that contains 

alcohol in any Non-Heatset web-fed offset lithographic printing operation. 

 

1

 The ROC Content of Fountain Solutions is based on the ROC weight divided by the full weight of the applied 

solution including any exempt compounds. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 3 

 3. Until January 1, 2012, no person shall use a solvent to perform solvent cleaning 

in excess of the applicable ROC content and ROC Composite Partial Pressure 

limits set forth below: 

SOLVENT CLEANING ACTIVITY LIMITS 

ROC 

g/l (lb/gal) 

of Material 

 LIMITS 

ROC Composite

Partial Pressure 

mm Hg @ 20oC 

a. Surface Preparation 70 (0.58) Not Applicable 

b. Repair and Maintenance Cleaning 50 (0.42) Not Applicable 

c. Cleaning of Coatings or Adhesives 

Application Equipment 

950 (7.9) AND 33 

d. Cleaning of Ink Application Equipment 

 1) General, unless listed below 100 (0.83) AND 3 

 2) Flexographic Printing 

 a)Specialty Flexographic 810 (6.8) AND 21 

 b)Other Flexographic 100 (0.83) AND 3 

 3) Gravure Printing 

 a)Publication 900 (7.5) AND 25 

 b)Packaging 100 (0.83) AND 3 

 4) Lithographic or Letter Press Printing 

 a)Roller Wash - 300 (2.5) OR 10 

 b)Blanket Wash 300 (2.5) OR 10 

 c)Metering Roller Cleaner 300 (2.5) OR 25 

 d)Plate Cleaner 300 (2.5) OR 25 

 5) Radiation Curing Ink 800 (6.7) AND 33 

 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 4 

 Effective January 1, 2012, no person shall use a solvent to perform solvent 

cleaning in excess of the applicable ROC content limits set forth below: 

SOLVENT CLEANING ACTIVITY LIMITS 

ROC Content (as applied) 

Grams of ROC per Liter of Material 

g/l (lb/gal) 

a. Surface Preparation of Substrate 25 (0.21) 

b. Repair and Maintenance Cleaning 25 (0.21) 

c. Other Press Parts 25 (0.21) 

d. Cleaning of Coatings or Adhesives 

Application Equipment 

25 (0.21) 

e. Cleaning of Ink Application Equipment 

 1) General, unless listed below 25 (0.21) 

 2) Flexographic Printing 

 a)Specialty Flexographic 100 (0.83) 

 b)Other Flexographic 25 (0.21) 

 3) Gravure Printing 

 a)Publication 100 (0.83) 

 b)Packaging 25 (0.21) 

 4) Lithographic or Letter Press Printing 

 a)Roller Wash 100 (0.83) 

 b)Blanket Wash 100 (0.83) 

 c)Metering Roller Cleaner 100 (0.83) 

 d)Plate Cleaner 100 (0.83) 

 e)Removable Press Components 25 (0.21) 

 5) Radiation Curing Ink Removal 100 (0.83) 

4. Cleaners Containing Methylene Chloride: No person shall use a solvent for 

cleaning purposes if that cleaner contains any methylene chloride. 

 5. No person shall perform cleaning operations unless one of the following cleaning 

devices or methods is used: 

a. Wipe cleaning; 

b. Remote reservoir cold cleaner; 

c. Spray bottles or containers with a maximum capacity of 16 fluid ounces 

from which solvents are applied without propellant-induced force; 

d. Cleaning equipment utilizing a closable solvent container. The solvent 

container shall remain closed during cleaning operations, except when 

depositing and removing objects to be cleaned, and during non-operation, 

except when performing maintenance and repair to the cleaning 

equipment. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 5 

1) If a solvent flow method is used, the solvent shall not be atomized. 

2) If a solvent flushing method is used, the solvent shall be flushed 

through the system by pumping. 

 6. In lieu of complying with the requirements of Subsection B.1, emissions of ROC, 

excluding emissions from clean up operations, may be controlled by an emission 

capture and control system, which reduces ROC emissions to the atmosphere, 

provided that: 

a. During any period of continuous operation not to exceed 24 hours, the 

capture and control system shall have a combined efficiency of at least 85 

percent, by weight, for publication gravure and at least 80 percent, by 

weight, for other types of printing operations; and, 

b. The collection system shall vent all drying oven exhaust to the control 

device and shall have one or more inlets for collection of fugitive 

emissions; and, 

c. ROC emissions are no greater than emissions if compliant inks, coatings, 

and adhesives as per Subsection B.1 were used; and,

d. During any period of operation of a thermal or catalytic incinerator, 

combustion temperature shall be continuously monitored; and, 

e. Written approval for such equipment, in the form of an Authority to 

Construct and Permit to Operate, is received from the Air Pollution 

Control Officer (APCO). 

 7. All ROC-containing materials including used cleaning towels shall be stored in 

closed containers that are nonabsorbent and do not leak. 

 8. Waste ROC materials shall be disposed of in a manner consistent with Federal, 

State, and local hazardous waste regulations. 

 9. The manufacturer of any ink, coating, adhesive, fountain solution, or solvent 

subject to this rule shall include the following information on the product 

container or a data sheet supplied with the product: 

a. Material name, manufacturer identification, specific mixing instructions (if 

applicable). 

b. VOC content 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 6 

 1) The VOC content of inks, coatings, and adhesives expressed as 

grams per liter (or pounds per gallon), less water and less exempt 

organic compounds. For low-solids inks, coatings or adhesives, 

the VOC content is expressed as grams per liter of material. 

 2) The VOC content of fountain solutions and solvents expressed as 

grams per liter (or pounds per gallon) or percent by weight of 

material, and if applicable, the recommended application dilution 

ratio. 

c. Until January 1, 2012, the VOC composite partial pressure expressed as 

mm HG at 20oC, if applicable. 

 d. The density of the material expressed as grams per liter (or pounds per 

gallon). 

 e. The solids content of all low-solids inks, coatings or adhesives, expressed 

as grams per liter (or pounds per gallon). 

 For the purposes of this Subsection, the term "VOC" is equivalent to the term 

"ROC". 

 10. Prohibition of Specification: No person shall specify or require the use of any ink, 

coating, adhesive, solvent cleaner, or fountain solution, in a graphic arts operation 

subject to the provisions of this rule that does not meet the limits and 

requirements of this rule. 

C. Exemptions 

1. The requirements of Subsections B.1, B.2, B.3, and B.4 shall not apply to: 

a. Any stationary source that emits less than 200 pounds of ROC in every 

rolling period of 12 consecutive calendar months from graphic arts 

operations. Emissions from aerosol products, cold cleaners, and vapor 

degreasers shall not be included in this exemption determination. ROC 

emissions from graphic arts operations used exclusively for research, 

classroom instruction in schools, laboratory analysis, or determination of 

product quality and commercial acceptance shall not be included in this 

exemption determination. 

b. Graphic arts operations used exclusively for research, classroom 

instruction in schools, laboratory analysis, or determination of product 

quality and commercial acceptance provided total emissions of ROC from 

such equipment are less than 200 pounds in any rolling period of 12 

consecutive calendar months from printing, coating, adhesive, and solvent 

cleaning operations. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 7 

 2. This rule shall not apply to: 

 a. Screen Printing, which is subject to Rule 74.19.1. 

 b. Operations which apply any ROC containing ink, coating, or adhesive on 

ceramic materials. 

 c. Circuitry Printing. 

 d. Operations using darkroom equipment associated with lithographic 

printing plate making. 

 e. Operations which apply inks used to indicate that sterilization has 

occurred. 

 f. Digital Printing Operations. 

 g. Proof presses. 

 h. Prepress operations such as the cleaning or processing of film processors, 

color scanners, plate processors, film cleaning, and plate developers. 

 i. Blanket repair materials used in containers of four ounces or less. 

 j. Aerosol coating products that are in compliance with regulations and 

requirements adopted by the California Air Resources Board (California 

Code of Regulations Title 17, Subchapter 8.5, Section 94522). 

 k. Cleaning activities using Clean Air Solvents as defined in Section G.9. 

 3. The solvent cleaning requirements of Subsection B.3 shall not apply to cleaning 

solvents used to clean ultraviolet lamps and reflectors, or electron beam 

processors. 

 

D. Recordkeeping Requirements. 

Any person subject to this rule shall: 

1. Maintain a current file for each ink, coating, and adhesive in use and in storage. 

The file shall include a data sheet or material list that provides material name, 

manufacturer identification, applicable product category from Subsection B.1, 

specific mixing instructions, and grams of ROC per liter (or pound of ROC per 

gallon) of coating (or ink or adhesive) less water and less exempt organic 

compounds, and grams of ROC per liter (or pounds of ROC per gallon) of 

material. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 8 

2. Maintain a current file for each fountain solution and cleaning solvent in use and 

in storage. The file shall include a data sheet or material list that provides 

material name, manufacturer identification, applicable solvent cleaning activity 

from Subsection B.3 for each cleaning solvent, specific mixing instructions if any, 

and grams of ROC per liter (or pounds of ROC per gallon) of material, and, if 

applicable until January 1, 2012, ROC composite partial pressure. The required 

data sheets for fountain solutions shall provide the ROC content, and minimum 

recommended dilution, which can be used to calculate the ROC content percent 

by weight, as applied or ROC content, grams per liter of material, applied. 

3. Maintain records on a daily basis showing the amount of inks, coatings, adhesives, 

fountain solutions, and solvents used. If only compliant inks, coatings, adhesives, 

fountain solutions, and solvents are used, these records may be maintained on a 

monthly basis instead of a daily basis. 

4. Any person claiming the exemption in subsections C.1.a. or C.1.b shall provide 

monthly records sufficient to substantiate this claim, as follows: 

a. Ink emission records shall be maintained using one of the following 

options and District-approved emission factors: 

1) Group the quantity of all inks used and use the highest ROC 

content, and the minimum density, 

2) Report process inks and pantone colors separately and: 

a) Use the specific ROC content and density values for each 

process ink and the highest ROC and the minimum density 

for pantone inks; or 

b) Use the highest ROC content and minimum density for 

both process and pantone inks. 

3) Itemize each ink and pantone color and use the specific ROC 

content and density value for each. 

 For the purpose of subsection D.4.a, "minimum density" means the lowest 

weight per unit volume for inks in a reported group, or the default value of 

1.01 kilograms per liter (8.44 pounds per gallon) where minimum density 

is unknown. 

b. Coating, adhesive, fountain solution, and solvent emission records shall be 

maintained by itemizing each coating, adhesive, fountain solution, and 

solvent and using the specific ROC content and density value for each. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 9 

 5. If compliance is achieved through the use of emission control equipment maintain 

daily records of key system operating parameters for emission control equipment 

as specified in the Permit to Operate. 

6. Inventory, usage, and emission control equipment operation records shall be 

retained for a minimum of two years and shall be made available to District 

Personnel upon request. 

E. Test Methods 

1. Measurement of the ROC and/or solids content of inks, coatings, adhesives, 

fountain solutions, and solvents, except publication gravure inks shall be 

conducted and reported in accordance with EPA Reference Method 24, 

Determination of Volatile Matter Content, Water Content, Density, Volume 

Solids and Weight Solids of Surface Coatings, and SCAQMD Method 303-91, 

Determination of Exempt Compounds, Revised February 1993 (EPA Approved 

August 1996), for determination of exempt compounds as necessary. 

2. Measurement of the ROC content of publication gravure inks shall be conducted 

and reported in accordance with EPA Reference Method 24A, Publication 

Rotogravure Inks and Coatings, and SCAQMD Method 303-91, Determination of 

Exempt Compounds, Revised February 1993 (EPA Approved August 1996) for 

determination of exempt compounds as necessary. 

3. If applicable, measurement of the ROC content of ultraviolet-cured inks shall be 

determined using ASTM Method D5403-93(2007) (EPA Approved 1993), 

Standard Test Methods for Density of Liquid Coatings, Inks, and Related 

Products. This method determines the ROC weight percent of inks designed to be 

cured by ultraviolet light. Calculation of the ROC content in grams per liter 

requires knowing the ink density. The density of inks shall be determined using 

ASTM D1475-98, Standard Test Method for Density of Paint, Varnish, Lacquer 

and Related Products (EPA Approved 1990). 

4. Until January 1, 2012, ROC composite pressure shall be calculated using a widely 

accepted published source such as: Boublik, T., V. Fried and E. Hala, "The Vapor 

Pressure of Pure Substances," Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., New York 

(1973), Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook, McGraw-Hill Book Company, 

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, Chemical Rubber Publishing 

Company (1986-87), and Lange's Handbook of Chemistry, John A. Dean, editor, 

McGraw-Hill Book Company (1985). The true vapor pressure of a component in 

a solvent mix may be determined by ASTM Method D2879-97, Standard Test 

Method for Vapor Pressure-Temperature Relationship and Initial Decomposition 

Temperature of Liquids by Isoteniscope. The ROC composite pressure of a 

solvent mix consisting entirely of ROC may be determined by ASTM Method 

D2879-97. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 10 

 5. The capture and control efficiency of air pollution control equipment shall be 

determined as specified in U.S.EPA’s "Guidelines for Determining Capture 

Efficiency," January 9, 1995, and 40 CFR 51, Appendix M, Methods 204-204F as 

applicable. Destruction efficiency, measured and calculated as carbon, shall be 

determined by 40 CFR 60, Appendix A-6, Method 18, or Appendix A-7, Methods 

25, or 25A or by ARB Method 422. 

6. The ROC content of any cyanoacrylate adhesive shall be determined using 

SCAQMD Test Method 316B Revised August 1997: "Determination of Volatile 

Organic Compounds (VOC) in Adhesives Containing Cyanoacrylates (EPA 

Approved August 1997). 

7. The alcohol content of any fountain solution shall be determined using SCAQMD 

Test Method 313-91, Revised February 1997, “Determination of Volatile Organic 

Compounds (VOC) by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) (EPA 

Approved June 1993). 

8. When more than one test method or set of test methods are specified for any 

testing, noncompliance with any requirement of this rule established by any one of 

the specified test methods or set of test methods shall constitute a violation of this 

rule. 

F. Violations 

Failure to comply with any provision of this rule, including recordkeeping requirements, 

shall constitute a violation of this rule. 

G. Definitions 

 1. "Adhesive": A material that is applied for the primary purpose of bonding two 

surfaces together by surface attachment. Adhesive used in a graphic arts operation 

such as in the binding or laminating of magazines, books, or other printed 

materials. 

 2. “Aerosol Coating Product”: Any pressurized coating product containing pigments 

or resins that dispenses product ingredients by means of a propellant, and is 

packaged in a disposable can for hand-held application. 

 3. “Alcohol”: An organic chemical known as a monohydric alcohol, in which one 

hydroxyl (OH) group is attached to a carbon atom in place of a hydrogen atom. 

Common examples include, are not limited to, methanol, ethanol, isopropyl 

alcohol, and pentanol. 

 4. “Blanket”: Any rubber or synthetic rubber mat used in offset-lithography to transfer 

or "offset" an image from a planographic printing plate to paper or other substrate. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 11 

 5. “Blanket Repair Material”: The material used in offset printing to correct low spots 

in the press blanket. 

 6. "Blanket Wash": Solvent used to clean the rubber-surface fabric used to transfer 

the image from the plate to the substrate. 

 

 7. "Blower": A unit, mounted on a web printing press, that sets and dries nonheatset 

ink by using unheated ambient air to accelerate the oxidation of the solvent 

components. 

 8. “Circuitry Printing”: Printing on circuit boards, membrane switches, or other 

electronic circuitry. 

9. “Clean Air Solvent”: A solvent certified by the South Coast Air Quality 

Management District as a Clean Air Solvent as defined by SCAQMD Rule 102. 

10 "Coating": A layer of material applied to a substrate in a relatively unbroken film 

to perform a protective or decorative function. 

11. “Combined Efficiency”: The efficiency of an approved emission control system, 

measured by the collection system’s capture efficiency multiplied by the 

destruction or control efficiency of the control device, expressed as a percentage. 

12. “Digital Printing Operations”: Operations using a digital printer that uses digital 

data to control the deposition of ink, toner or dye to create images. Digital print 

operations include, but are not limited to, the following technologies: inkjet, 

thermography, electrophotography, and magnetography. 

 13. "Exempt Organic Compounds": Shall be as defined in Rule 2 of these rules. 

 14. "Flexographic Printing": A printing method that uses a raised image carrier on a 

flexible printing roll to apply words, designs, or pictures onto a substrate. The 

roll is typically made of rubber or other elastomeric materials. The portion of the 

roll that is not raised is often referred to as the non-image area. Ink may be 

metered to the substrate by means of an anilox roll, which is usually constructed 

of a steel or aluminum core which is coated by an industrial ceramic whose 

surface contains millions of very fine dimples, known as cells. 

 15. "Fountain Solution": The solution applied to the image plate to maintain the 

hydrophilic properties of the nonimage areas and to keep the nonimage area free 

from ink. Fountain solution is primarily water and contains at least one of the 

following materials: etchants such as mineral salts, hydrophilic gums; or ROC 

additives to reduce the surface tension of the water. 

 16. "Fugitive Emissions": Uncollected emissions of VOC from any portion of the 

printing, coating or laminating operation. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 12 

 17. "Grams of ROC per Liter of Coating (Ink or Adhesive), Less Water and Exempt 

Compounds": The weight of ROC per combined volume of ROC and coating 

(ink or adhesive) solids as follows: 

 Grams of ROC per Liter of Coating (Ink or Adhesive), Less Water and Less 

Exempt Compounds = Ws - Ww - Wes

Vm - Vw - Ves

Where: Ws = weight of volatile compounds in grams 

Ww = weight of water in grams 

Wes = weight of exempt compounds in grams 

Vm = volume of material in liters 

Vw = volume of water in liters 

Ves = volume of exempt compounds in liters 

 18. "Grams of ROC per Liter of Material": The weight of ROC per volume of 

material as follows: 

Grams of ROC per liter of material = Ws - Ww- Wes

 Vm

Where: Ws = Weight of volatile compounds in grams 

Ww = Weight of water in grams 

Wes = Weight of exempt compounds in grams 

Vm = Volume of material in liters 

 19. "Graphic Arts": All screen, gravure, letterpress, flexographic, ink jet, and 

lithographic printing processes or related coating or laminating processes. 

 20. "Graphic Arts Operation": Any packaging gravure, publication gravure, 

flexographic printing, screen printing, letterpress, ink jet, digital printing, or 

lithographic printing operation, or any associated cleaning, coating or laminating 

or adhesive operation to produce a printed product. These operations include 

printing application equipment, coating equipment, laminating equipment, flashoff areas, ovens, conveyors or other equipment in an uninterrupted series with 

such operation. 

 21. "Gravure Printing": An intaglio printing method in which the ink is transferred 

from minute etched wells on a plate to the substrate, which is supported by an 

impression roller, with excess ink removed by a doctor blade. 

 22. "Heater or Dryer": A device used to vaporize heatset inks. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 13 

 23. "Heatset Ink": A printing ink used on continuous web-feed printing presses that 

are equipped with dryers or ovens. The ink dries or sets by heat-induced 

evaporation of the ink oils and subsequent chilling of the ink by chill rolls. 

 24. “Ink”: A pigmented and/or dyed liquid or paste used especially for printing or 

other graphic arts operations. 

 25. "Ink Jet Printing": Printing methods where the liquid ink is transferred at high 

velocity through a small diameter opening(s) to a solid substrate. Ink jet systems 

include, but are not limited to: Air-brush; Thermal-jet; Drop-on-demand using 

piezoelectric crystals; and Continuous with ink recycling. 

26. "Lamination": A process of bonding two or more layers of material to form a 

single, multiple-layer sheet by using adhesive. 

 27. "Letterpress Printing": A printing method in which the image area is raised 

relative to the nonimage area and the ink is transferred to the paper directly from 

the image surface. 

 28. "Lithographic Printing": Printing by a planographic method in which the image 

and non-image areas are on the same plane and are chemically differentiated. 

This printing process differs from other printing processes where the image is 

typically printed from a raised or recessed surface. 

 29. "Low-Solids Inks, Coatings or Adhesives": Any product that contains 120 grams 

or less of solids per liter (1 pound or less of solids per gallon) of material. 

 30. "Maintenance Cleaning": A solvent cleaning operation or activity carried out to 

keep general work areas, tools, machinery or equipment excluding application 

equipment, in clean and good operational condition.

 31. "Metering Roller": A roller used to meter the fountain solution to the printing 

plate in a continuous contacting dampening system on a lithographic printing 

press. 

 32. "Nonheatset Ink": Printing ink that sets and dries by absorption into the substrate, 

and hardens by ambient air oxidation that may be accelerated by the use of 

infrared, ultraviolet, or electron-beam radiation but does not involve the use of 

heat from dryers or ovens. 

 33. "Nonporous Substrate": A substrate whose surface prevents penetration by water, 

including but not limited to foil, polyethylene, polypropylene, cellophane, 

metalized polyester, nylon, or mylar. Any paper-like substrate, including 

cardboard or paperboard, that is coated with a nonporous material shall be 

considered a nonporous substrate. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 14 

 34. “Offset Lithographic Printing”: A planographic method in which the image and 

non-image areas are on the same plane. Typically, the ink is offset from a plate to 

a rubber blanket, and then from the blanket to the substrate. 

35. “Other Press Parts”: Any press parts that do not come into contact with inks, 

adhesives, or coatings. Other press parts include, but are not limited to, pressure 

rollers, motors, and belts. Rollers, blankets, metering rollers, fountains, 

impression cylinders and plates shall not be considered as other press parts. 

36. "Oven": A heating chamber which uses heat, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, or 

electron beam (EB) radiation to bake, cure, polymerize, or dry a surface coating. 

 37. "Packaging Gravure": Gravure printing on paper, paperboard, foil, film or other 

substrates which are to be used to produce containers or packages. 

 38. "Pantone Color": A printing ink created for color matching by combination of 

process inks. 

39. "Porous Substrate": Any surface or substrate that is permeable to water including 

but not limited to paper, cardboard, paperboard and any paper product that is 

coated with a porous material. 

40. “Prepress Operations”: Any operation associated with printing plate making 

including but not limited to, film photo processors and plate photo processors, 

color scanners, film cleaning, or plate developers. 

 41. "Printing Ink": Any fluid or viscous composition used in printing, impressing, or 

transferring an image onto a substrate. 

 42. “Printing Plates”: Printing processes such as offset lithography use printing plates 

to transfer an image to paper or other substrates. The plates may be made of metal, 

plastic, rubber, paper, and other materials. The image is put on the printing plates 

using photomechanical, photochemical, or laser engraving processes. The image 

may be positive or negative. 

 43. "Process Ink": The hues: yellow, magenta, and cyan, plus black used in the fourcolor print process. 

 44. “Proof Press”: A press that is used only for the sole purpose of printing a sample 

copy of a graphic art product to check the quality of the print, color reproduction 

and editorial content. 

 45. "Publication Gravure": Gravure printing on paper which is subsequently formed 

into books, magazines, catalogues, brochures, directories, newspaper supplements 

or other types of printed material. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 15 

 46. "Radiation Curing ": The use of electronic radiation to polymerize or cure 

specially-formulated inks, coatings, or adhesives on a substrate. Electron Beam 

and ultraviolet light are radiation curing methods used in graphic arts operations. 

 47. “Reactive Organic Compound (ROC)”: As defined in Rule 2. ROC and VOC are 

identical and may be used interchangeably. 

 48. "Remote Reservoir Cold Cleaner": A device in which solvent is pumped through 

a sink-like work area for cleaning parts and drains immediately, without forming a 

pool, through a single drain hole less than 100 square centimeters (15.5 sq. in.) in 

area into an enclosed container which is not accessible for soaking parts. 

 49. “Removable Press Component”: Any part, component, or accessory of a press 

that is physically attached to the press and does come into contact with ink, which 

is removed from the press prior to being cleaned. Rollers, blankets, metering 

rollers, fountains, impression cylinders and plates shall not be considered as 

removable press components. 

 50. "Repair Cleaning": A solvent cleaning operation or activity carried out during a 

repair process. 

 51. “Repair process”: The process of returning a damaged object or an object not 

operating properly to good condition. 

 52. ROC Composite Partial Pressure": The sum of the partial pressures of the 

compounds defined as ROCs. ROC composite partial pressure is calculated as 

follows: 

( )( )

( )

PP

W VP

MW

W

MW

W

MW

W

MW

c

i i

i i

n

w

w

e

e e

n

i

i i

n

=











 +











 +













=

= =

∑

∑ ∑

1

1 1

 Where: 

 Wi = Weight of the "i"th ROC compound, in grams 

 Ww = Weight of water, in grams 

 We = Weight of the "e"th exempt organic compound, in grams 

 MWi = Molecular weight of the "i"th ROC compound, in g/(g-mole) 

 MWw = Molecular weight of water, in g/(g-mole) 

 MWe = Molecular weight of the "e"th exempt organic compound, in g/(g-mole) 

 PPc = ROC composite partial pressure at 20 C, in mm Hg 

 VPi = Vapor pressure of "i"th ROC compound at 20C, in mm Hg. 

 53. "ROC-Containing Materials": Inks, coatings, or adhesives; materials used for 

cleanup or of inks, coatings, or adhesives; materials used for removal of 

adhesives; solvent, paper and cloth, and waste containing, impregnated with, 

coated with, or mixed with Reactive Organic Compounds. 

 54. "Roller Wash": Solvent used to clean the metal ink rollers on a printing press. 
07/11 Rule 74.19: 16 

 55. "Screen Printing": A process where the printing ink passes through a web or a 

fabric to which a refined form of stencil has been applied. The stencil openings 

determine the form and dimensions of the imprint. 

 56. “Sheet-Fed Printers”: Any printer that processes single individual sheets of 

material one at a time instead of a continuous roll of input material. 

 57. “Solvent Cleaning”: The use of any solvent to remove uncured adhesives, 

uncured inks, uncured coatings, or contaminants from a substrate. 

 58. "Solvent Flushing": The use of a solvent to remove uncured adhesives, uncured 

inks, uncured coatings, or contaminants from the internal surfaces and passages of 

the equipment by flushing solvent through the equipment. 

 59. "Specialty Flexographic Printing": Flexographic printing on polyethylene or 

polypropylene food packaging, fertilizer bags, or liquid-tight food containers. 

 60. "Sterilization Indicating Inks": Inks that change color to indicate that sterilization 

has occurred. Such inks are used to monitor the sterilization of medical 

instruments, autoclave efficiency and the thermal processing of foods for 

prevention of spoilage. 

 61. “Substrate”: Any surface of any material that is the designated recipient of any 

ink, coating, or adhesive. 

 62. "Surface Preparation": The removal of contaminants such as dust, soil, oil, grease, 

etc., from a substrate prior to coating, adhesive, or ink applications. 

 63. "Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)": Shall have the same meaning as Reactive 

Organic Compounds (ROC) as defined in Rule 2 of these Rules. 

 64. “Web-Fed”: An automatic system which supplies substrate from a continuous 

roll, or from an extrusion process. 

 65. "Wipe Cleaning": The method of cleaning a surface by physically rubbing it with 

a material or device such as a rag, paper, brush or cotton swab moistened with a 

solvent.