Why Need Choose the Eco-friendlyChildren’s Book？
As more and more parents value reading, children’s board books are becoming more popular. Same time, parents’ requirements for children’s board book printing are also increasing in tandem. They start to realize the safety and environmental protection of children’s book printing. Many publishers have begun to label children’s books with words. Such as “green printed publications” and “printed with soy ink”.
So do you know about the environmental standards of professional children’s book printing?
Nowadays, many parents pay great attention to the cultivation of children’s reading habits. So they will prepare a variety of cards and picture books for their children. But, if you do not pay attention to the quality of printed materials when purchasing the book. Its will may have varying degrees of adverse effects on children’s health.
So what kind of print will have a negative impact? Let’s talk about environmental protection. The environmental protection of the print and the quality cannot to confused. Quality refers to clear handwriting, clear lines, and accurate color reproduction. Environmental protection means that when readers flip, they do not bring health hazards.
Why children’s books are specifically mentioned? Because when children read, harmful substances in books are easy to ingest into the body. First, children may have habits of tearing books and biting books when reading. Second, many children’s books have a large number of color pictures. And the amount of ink used is much more than that of ordinary text-based books. Thus, children’s books should have a higher standard for environmental protection.
So, we can analyze the main materials of children’s book printing. Paper, ink, glue, and lamination.
The ink may contain benzene, especially color ink, using a dissolving agent. Such as benzene, the solvent is not completely volatilized after the new book print. The children will emit an unpleasant odor when opening the package. Benzene, toluene is a liquid with a strong odor, highly toxic. Not only damaging the respiratory tract. But also cause acute poisoning, and paralysis of the central nervous system. And other hazards, Short-term inhalation makes people dizzy and nauseated. Long-term contact may damage the bone marrow, resulting in lycopene. Even thrombocytopenia and aplastic anemia and so on.
Another source of pungent odor is the glue for binding. Most of the glue used to bind books used fast-drying agents. This volatile chemical generally takes 10 to 20 days to completely disappear. But the book packaging is in the bag. The smell cannot emitter, so readers will still have a peculiar smell after getting it in their hands. Some low-quality paper and adhesives contain a large of formaldehyde. Will emit a strong odor, and long-term exposure to such chemicals is very harmful to health. seriously affecting children’s physical development.
Because children’s reading habits are different from adults. Inferior ink and heavy metals may contain in the paper. As lead will enter the human body through the child’s hand and mouth contact. Affecting the child’s body. So, parents should be especially reminded that pirated books often use inferior paper. Pirated books to reduce costs. Often use inferior paper, ink, glue, etc.
A solid substance detection report shows. Some pirated books contain 100 times more lead than their original counterparts. So it is important to pay attention to identifying pirated books when choosing the book.
In children’s book printing, ink selection is the most important link. To protect children’s physical and mental health. It is necessary to choose children’s books that use eco-friendly inks for printing. And whether the ink is ink, whether it will bring negative effects on readers. Consider the following two points. First, heavy metals, due to children’s reading habits, heavy metals in the ink may inhale from the mouth. The second is volatiles, solvents, and additives used in ink. Including aromatic hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, ethers, ketones, etc. They volatilize as the ink dries and enters the children’s respiratory system.
So what types of eco-friendly inks?
- Rice bran ink
Rice bran ink technology originated in Japan. At present, there are many institutions and enterprises in China that are researching. The main reason is China and Japan are rice consumption and production countries. Rice bran-produced rice has been only used as animal feed. Far from its largest value. And the development of rice bran oil extraction technology. And the technical breakthrough of rice bran oil in ink. Not only to maximize the value of rice bran. But also to make printer ink and environmental protection. And sustainable development has been further improved.
The main advantages of rice bran ink are: ink VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) residue is low. Migration is low, environmental pollution is small. Rice bran resources are easy to localize. Which is in line with China’s national conditions. Rice bran ink has high gloss, less residue of harmful substances in the print book, and high safety.
- Soybean oil-based ink
The aromatic hydrocarbons of mineral oil in the ink reduced or disappeared. Still cannot avoid the influence of VOC. As a result, soybean oil-based inks that replace mineral oil with soybean oil appeared. Purify soybean oil. Mixed with additives such as pigments and resins. Soybean ink also has many advantages. As scratch resistance, no irritating odor, light and heat resistance. Easier to recycle has wide color, etc.
Besides, soybean oil, there are other vegetable oils that can use, such as flax oil.
- Water-based inks
Water-based inks do not contain volatile organic solvents. And only need to dilute with water in print. Thus, water-based inks reduce the emission of VOCs. And avoid the pollution of volatile organic compounds. Same time, it reduces the hazardous substances remaining on the surface of the books. And belongs to one of the most eco-friendly ink types. The application of water-based inks can reduce fire hazards. Which cause by static electricity and flammable solvents. And reduce the solvent odor remaining on the surface of the print. So the application of water-based ink on food packaging. Children’s toy packaging and tobacco and alcohol packaging are more and more common.
Finally, let’s talk about the lamination process. Lamination is the finishing process of the surface decoration of the book. Which is wide used in the printing and packaging industries. But at present, many laminating processes still use coating technology. Which brings great harm to our environment and body. A large number of benzene-containing solvents are use in the coating process. And benzene is a strong carcinogen. As a result, a large number of print children’s books laminate by ready-to-apply technology. Such as the laminated covers of textbooks and other books. And the harm, especially to children, is very great. According to a study by the National Cancer Society of the United States. Children touch products containing benzene for a long time. Are more likely to suffer from leukemia and other blood diseases. Thus, children’s books should not use the lamination process as much as possible.
