CTP Developer Neutralizer Options

[Mark Wiedener]

Any written findings (analytical data) is better than nothing - there is no mention of that there is a different chemical composition created in any manual I have read. As an environmental technologist I need to have a benchmark to start with to see if we are below or above a certain standard. This would be a very important chart to add to manual (and inexpensive to sample for). Sewer guidelines and regulations are created by "typical" standards/situations and that is how discharge limits (and fines) are set.

And this is always why there is a fine print on everything. For example, neutralizer systems all say in the litterature that these products only regulate pH and please consult your areas local discharge limits before proceeding. Best procedure is to know what effluent is typical at your location from your typical or "composite" sample and then you know. This is exactly how the governments and municipalities test and regulate. These are the standards or goals we should be shooting for so there is due dilligance in place for our clients. And in the last few decades you can really see a positive change with things becoming lower impact, agreed, but still little data produced. But with every change there is an adverse affect. This is nature. But knowing the adverse affect and dealing with it is important to know. Education is what it is all about and passing this knowledge down to the end user. Digital printing seems chemical free, well liquid chemical anyway, not air bourne. More concerns about indoor air quality and ozone become items to look at. Interesting to say the least but more testing and education all around. The reason I have a job is because of adverse affects and the need for proper education by industry on products and the waste that is generated from the process.

[Kevin@Kodak]

Thanks Mark - I've already been having some discussions internally, and I'll see how far I can take those. Unfortunately there is no industry standard for these types of things (yet), but I'm not afraid of trying to set one by example.

The environment isn't something to play for pure marketing benefit, although that's certainly a valuable side-effect of truly innovative products. That's the confluence point we're aiming for - where environmental impact reduction and customer value meet.

Kodak Trillian SP Thermal Plates - Kodak Graphic Communications Group

Kevin.