Midcomp, a diversified distributor of print, finishing and related technologies to the South African market – and a key partner for HP – dispels the myths surrounding the environmental claims of UV inks versus Latex products.
When it comes to sustainability in printing, there should simply be no compromise for print service providers (PSPs). Not paying enough attention to the world around us, or ignoring the issue altogether, places your business at risk of missing out on profitable work and will almost inevitably cost you in the long run.
The good news is that there are plenty of steps that PSPs can take to improve their sustainability, with a useful starting point being looking at the materials that they work with. Switching to more planet friendly consumables will have a marked impact on their environmental credentials.
HP Latex Inks consist of up to 65% water and are designed to avoid the hazards associated with ultraviolet (UV) inks.
However, when it comes to selecting consumables, PSPs should take care. There is plenty of misleading information and false claims when it comes to the sustainable features of products, with this especially evident when discussing inks.
UV inks in particular have caused much debate. While UV inks carry certain “planet friendly” marks, pledging to be an environmentally option for users, this may not be the case when compared to Latex inks.
Midcomp here aims to dispel some of the myths surrounding the environmental claims of UV inks versus Latex products, mapping out how Latex inks are by far the more sustainable choice.
Comfort in production
First and foremost, HP Latex Inks are water-based. This means they do not produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While it is true that UV inks are largely free of VOCs, the fact that they do contain some trace is something for PSPs to keep in mind when exploring ways to become more sustainable.
The water-based formulation of HP Latex Inks provides a more comfortable and welcoming print-production environment without trading off performance.
It is also worth noting that UV ink products are all supplied in packs that contain various hazard symbols, warning of their health and safety risks, while these inks also have a characteristic odour, which can cause comfort issues during the production process.
In contrast, HP Latex Gen4 inks do not have any hazard warnings, nor any significant issues in terms of impacting air quality, making them a much more pleasant consumable to work with.
On the subject of production, HP has worked to ensure that its Latex inks carry the much-coveted UL Ecologo certification, which is based on multi-attribute, lifecycle-based sustainability standards. UV inks do not carry this mark due to not being able to meet the strict standards set by UL Solutions.
Proof is in the performance
Of course, it is only fair to directly compare the ink types in terms of performance. After all, printers want to get the most value for money and ensure they are operating as efficiently as possible.
Admittedly, UV inks tend to have greater power efficiency, boasting between 10 to 30sq m/kWh compared to the 4 to 5sq m/kWh on HP Latex Gen4 inks. However, in the grand scheme of things, this is of little consequence.
EPEAT is the premier global ecolabel for electronics and technology products. The HP Latex 630W has proudly achieved EPEAT Gold certification.
HP Latex inks carry both the EPEAT and Energy Star ratings when being judged on energy and carbon emissions. No UV inks hold EPEAT certifications while Energy Star is dependent on the type of printer being used, with lower volume machines more likely to have such a rating.
As for printheads, up to 25 printheads can be used to print HP Latex inks for up to two years and can then be recycled - something that HP says further enhances the sustainability of its Latex ink. One or two printheads can print UV inks for the same amount of time, but require regular service visits and, crucially, are not recyclable.
In fact, this ties in with wider claims regarding UV inks, with manufacturers saying the inks are more cost effective than Latex. The fact is that UV inks require much more manual maintenance, covering everything from clean aerosols, UV glass and LED filters to replacing ink filters.
Finished with style
Moving on in the process and considering the actual printed piece, work finished with UV inks holds the Greenguard Gold certification, which, also managed by UL Solutions, confirms that products are manufactured to contribute to safer, healthier air.
HP Latex ink features allow for much wider usage across all manner of applications inlcuding print for use in sensitive environments such as hospitals or schools and for in-home décor.
However, this does not tell the full story. As UV inks have a characteristic smell, this means pieces printed with these inks may not be suitable for certain environments, with hospitals and other medical facilities to name but a few where this may be an issue. Of course, there are no such problems when it comes to odourless Latex ink, with HP saying the safety features of its inks allow for much wider usage across all manner of applications.
In addition, UV products are not certified to be used to print toys, once again casting doubt over their safety claims. In contrast to this, HP Latex inks boast toy-related certifications not only in the European Union but also in the US.
What’s on the inside counts
Of course, production and the actual printed pieces are only part of the picture, with the examination of how inks are manufactured also being important.
HP is quite forthcoming about how its Latex inks are produced and what sustainable steps are taken to ensure their impact on the planet is limited. However, when reverting back to UV inks, information is much harder to come by, thereby clouding the claims over sustainability.
Picking out just some of the environmentally friendly features of the manufacturing process for HP Latex inks, cartridges that hold the ink feature 45% plastic that was bound for the ocean, while these products also carry certification for UL Recycled content. No such details are available for UV inks.
Follow the journey to the end of life
From how inks are created to how they end their life, sustainability should be considered at each step of the process. Again, it is not hard to see how Latex inks excel when it comes to disposing of them and pieces printed using these products responsibly.
Printers running HP Latex inks can recycle their ink supplies with HP Planet Partners, ensuring they become new products and do not end up in oceans or landfill. There are also various media take-back schemes on select material used when printing with HP Latex ink.
More than one billion+ HP print cartridges have already been returned to HP Planet Partners recycling program.
Turning to UV inks and there are no two ways about it: these options are not available. Therefore, to ensure a responsible end of life for products, HP recommends working with its Latex inks to open up opportunities for recycling and, in many cases, reuse.
While of course there are some similarities between Latex and UV inks, and the latter may have one or two superior stats over the Latex, when it comes to sustainability, there is simply no contest: Latex is clearly the way to go.
And Midcomp is ready and waiting to support customers with their investment, perfectly placed as a supplier of a wide range of HP Latex printing technologies to help guide companies towards more environmentally friendly solutions.
The final say
Midcomp’s CEO Rob Makinson says: “Our group of companies is here for the long haul. As an HP Gold Partner we aim to stand apart from our competitors with our ethos of honesty and integrity and in our ability to walk our customers through their stages of challenges and success with our systems, services and value adds. Advising on what sustainability actually means to our customers is just one part of that process.”
HP have recycled 1.2 million tonnes of hardware and supplies since the beginning of 2016.
HP Marketing Manager for Large Format Print within the African region, Felipe Ospina, also backs Midcomp to assist print businesses when it comes to them investing in truly sustainable print technology.
“We see Midcomp as an important partner in the drive to educate and inform the African market about the realities of sustainable printing,” Felipe said. “Sustainability is now a must for all businesses and Midcomp is working very hard to demonstrate to its customers how they can win with sustainability and how it can be a differentiating factor for their own customers."
Midcomp is a specialist and approved distributor of HP Latex printers; get in touch for information about the technology and how it can improve your business.
Please click here for more Midcomp information on sustainability.
