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Soy Ink Information

As one of countless measures to limit our need for petroleum-based products, the use of soy-based inks is a success story. Made from the oil of soybeans, soybean ink is a renewable resource that we can use to print newspapers, books and other materials. Because the source is inexpensive, soy ink costs less to use than petroleum-based ink products.

  1. History

    • The Newspaper Association of American began looking for a replacement for petroleum-based ink in 1979, during the oil crisis brought on by the Oil Producing and Exporting Countries (OPEC). After experimenting with more than 2,000 formulations, engineers discovered a soybean ink that worked as well as, if not better than, petroleum-based ink. In 1987, the Cedar Rapids (Iowa) Gazette was the first newspaper to use soy-based ink. As of 2010, almost 90 percent of America's daily newspapers use color soy ink.

    Benefits

    • Because the soybean oil that suspends the color pigments is almost clear, the colors of soy ink appear to be more vibrant. The ink goes on in sharp focus and does not rub off. This is especially important to newspaper readers. The lithographer needs to make fewer adjustments during a printing run because the ink creates a sharp copy from the beginning of the printing run to the end. Not only does soy ink hold up well to the printing presses of a newspaper, but it also withstands the high heat when used in laser printers.

    Health Effects

    • Working with a petroleum product leaves workers exposed to a variety of carcinogens. Petroleum-based inks emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which can cause health problems. Soy-based inks, on the other hand, only produce 20 percent of the VOCs as their oil-based counterparts. While there is still potential danger from the heavy metals, such as zinc and barium, used to color the ink, the health hazard to workers is still much smaller.

    Environmental Effects

    • Recycled materials printed with soybean ink are easier to clean. The soy ink is easier to strip from waste paper products, making it more cost-effective to recycle them. Paper fibers receive less damage in the washing process, giving them a longer span of usefulness. Paper recycled from soy ink use is brighter in color.

    Costs

    • Soy inks go 15 percent farther, according to the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center. Soy inks are also less likely than petroleum-based inks to fluctuate in price.

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