As part of a continuing commitment to the environmental issues in the printing and ink industries, the National Soy Ink Information Center recently conducted a life-cycle study to better understand the environmental effects of soy ink. With the results of the new life-cycle study and soy ink's proven quality, printers can now make the environmentally preferable choice. Findings were announced today at a press conference at Graph Expo, an annual convention for the printing and graphics industries, held this week in Chicago.
Soybeans temporarily take damaging carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Using conservation tillage methods can reduce water runoff and slow the release of carbon dioxide back into the environment. The majority of air emissions released during soy ink's life cycle result from fossil fuel combustion. Extraction and processing of raw materials for other printing ink ingredients share the burden for release of these emissions. Conservation tillage can decrease fossil fuel air emissions and reduce water and chemical runoff in soybean fields. Understanding the cycle A life-cycle inventory quantifies the use of energy and resources, as well as the amount of emissions associated with a product.