HP Latex inks offer healthier solution than competing ink technologies

In the world of digital large-format printing, there are different inks that can be used in diverse ways and applications, including UV curable, hard solvent and eco-solvent. However, when it comes to sustainability, as well as health and safety features, which are critical to most wide format print applications, Latex inks are renowned for their reliability. The choice of ink can dictate whether proper ventilation is required within the space in question, if there will be a strong odour, what happens if it may be swallowed, and if it causes irritability to a person’s eyes or on the skin.

Scientific tests illustrate that UV and solvent inks have slight odours, and hard solvent inks have stronger odours. UV and solvent inks also also have little to no environmental certifications, such as the ones carried by Latex inks. Certain solvent inks are flammable while certain UV curable inks are known to cause irritability to a user’s skin and eyes. HP’s newest Latex technology carries a broad set of credentials, addressing the full spectrum of environmental concerns: from ink chemistry and indoor air quality (for both print production and display) to lifecycle considerations, earning recognition for products as environmentally preferred overall. HP Latex ink is water-based. This means it contains no hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), as is the case with solvent-based inks, and as such requires no hazard-warning labels.