REUSE! Because You Can't Recycle The Planet.

[Inky 1]

Having spent 30 years in the ink industry and 15 plus years in the pressroom doing tech service, the amount of old unused ink on printers shelves is astonishing. In the past (and sometimes present), ink companys used to take un-opened ink back and recycle it into good product. These days, the legality of needing MSDS on every product ties the inkmakers hands with any product other than their own. The printers need to take the initiative and start using product off their shelf whenever possible. Ink companys can supply databases for conversion from one PMS to another. Process inks can be used/worked off on jobs and paper that are more forgiving. An example: G-7 compliant/certified shops would need customers that do not require G-7 certification to use up old inventory that is not compliant. Right now, the majority of the industry that I see (commercial printing) is not G7 Certified. If anything, they are shooting for compliance without the expense of certification. But that is the exception to the rule. The majority of the printing companys are more than capable of using up inventory. Historically, they just don't. It's a shame because ink HAS to be incinerated before its final resting place which is an unnecessary expense. Ink that is used up in dry form can be recycled with the paper it's on with no additional expense to re-work it or incinerate it for landfill.