INTERNATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE
Case Study #272
1. Headline: Internal recycling in a flexographic printing
facility reduces effluents
2. Background: Further to the adoption of flexographic
printing, the Cartonnages de l'Agenais studied how to
recycle the printers washing water to overcome pollution
and effluents coloring. A technique using ultrafiltration
was selected. This case study was carried out in 1992.
3. Cleaner Production Principle: internal recycling
4. Description of Cleaner Production Application:
Information about the process and wastes
The flexographic inks contain organic pigments without any
heavy metals. The washing water (1.5 m3/day), containing 1
% of ink can not be discharged outside due to its color, a
rate of suspended matter over 200 mg/l, and a COD over 400
mg/l.
The company has installed ultrafiltration enabling it to
reuse the purified water and to treat only a concentrated
effluent.
The process is based on ultrafiltration using mineral
membranes operating in tangential flow. The turbulent
brushing of the membrane surface prevents particles from
accumulating and clogging, which renders useless the
cleaning processes with chemical reagent.
Both modules with mineral membranes CARBOSEP enable 6 to 8
m3 a week to be treated. The high thermal, chemical and
mechanical resistance of the mineral membranes offers
almost total protection in case of accidental pollution.
The facility is entirely automated.
Level of marketing: The TECH-SEP company has built an
industrial prototype, the first facility able to treat
water containing ink using ultrafiltration by means of a
mineral membrane in tangential flow.
Material / energy balance and substitution
Drinking water saving : 400 m3/year.
5. Economics:
Cost of direct investment
Civil engineering
32 000
2 ultrafiltration modules 227 000
Accessories and miscellaneous 61 000
Total
320 000 FF (1992)
Operation and maintenance costs
Energy and reagent
9 200 FF
Maintenance
7 000 FF
Concentrate transportation 7 200 FF
Null amortization due to the subsidies received.
Water saving
1 500 FF
Pollution saving
40 500 FF (1992)
Period of amortization: 2 years.
6. Advantages: Suppression of any external discharge and
any risk of pollution.
No use for cleaning nor treatment reagent.
Drinking water resources saving.
Technique can be reproduced on any ink discharges.
7. Constraints: No information provided.
8. Contacts:
Agence de l'Eau Adour-Garonne
M. RAUCOULES
TEL: 33 61.36.37.38
M. J.C. RIVES
PrÆsident Directeur GÆnÆral
Cartonneries de l'Agenais
B.P. 11
82410 VALENCE D'AGEN - France
TEL: 33 63.39.51.27
S.A. Cartonnages de l'Agenais
Chemin d'Orliac
82400 VALENCE D'AGEN - France
TEL: 33 63.39.51.27
FAX: 33 63.29.18.80
M. Maton
M. Chatenet
Office International de l'Eau
Direction de la Formation et des Etudes
rue Edouard Chamberland
87065 Limoges Cedex, France
TEL: 33 55114770
FAX: 33 55777115
9. Keywords: France, ISIC 3411, ISIC 3412, ISIC 3420,
printing, recycling, ultrafiltration, heavy metal,
membrane, ink, flexographic printing, filtration
10. This case study was submitted to UNEP IE in 1994 by the
French Office International de l'Eau. It has not undergone
a formal technical review.