The August 2022 edition of the GravurExchange
Your source for news and events
Happy Anniversary!
August 1st is the one-year anniversary of the GAA merger into AIMCAL
As of August 1st, 2022 it will be one year since the GAA merged into AIMCAL. The merger brought companies that are primarily “Printers” and their suppliers into AIMCAL. With the addition of the packaging and décor/product “Printers” merging into the Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (Converters), AIMCAL’s membership is now one of the most all-encompassing Printer/Converter associations worldwide. AIMCAL being Internationally oriented was one of the reasons that attracted the GAA to them.
Of the GAA members that merged, 10 of them were already AIMCAL members and 75% of the others renewed for 2022. The majority of those who did not renew were themselves involved in acquisitions and or their target business has changed. We anticipate over time some will return when training and networking needs require. So, all in all the merger that brought the GAA members expanded benefits and networking as becoming AIMCAL members has had a very good first year.
The GAA “Legacy” members have participated in the 2020 USA R2R (virtual), 2021 USA R2R, the 2022 Executive Leadership and the 2022 R2R Europe conferences and are involved in the 2022 USA R2R preparation. Our members have provided speakers for all of the above and the 2021 Gravure Fundamentals and we have held a Gravure Basics Webinar. Rod Sosa (FresCo) and Todd Luman (Interprint) both active in the Gravure Association are now on the AIMCAL Board of Directors combining “Printers” concerns with the “Converters”. AIMCAL having many diverse committees has allowed some of the legacy members personnel to join other committees. Go to Committees | AIMCAL to review and join other committees that can help in networking. As Lou DeFlaviis declared when the merger was completed “Together we are stronger” has proven to be spot on.
The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee is looking for those who want to be involved in the committee’s leadership.
We cannot thank Lou DeFlaviis, JD Harris and John Edwards enough for being the leaders who steered the GAA into AIMCAL and lead us through the first year. However, now they are ready to pass the torch on to a new leadership team. What we need now are those dynamic leaders who want to become the GAA- Committees Chair, Co-Chair and Secretary.
The GAA-Committee members have been able to keep the GravurExchange being published each month, have come forward as needed to participate in the Golden Cylinder Awards as entrants and judges and participated in Steering Committees, nominate Cylinder Society members, participate in Gravure Days and conference agenda committees. To keep these features happening and adding new features the GAA-Committee needs leaders. Getting volunteers to help is not the issue, we have members pitch in as needed but we need those who can plan and be the visionaries to keep the GAA-Committee working to the future. For those interested to take the reins, contact tdonato@gaa.org or tim@aimcal.org
It is time to register for the AIMCAL R2R USA Technical Conference
Members are registering for the AIMCAL R2R USA Technical Conference for September 26-29 in Orlando, FL. Go to 2022 R2R USA Conference (aimcal.org) to register and to review the agenda and schedule. The R2R USA is a multi-track conference plus multiple Keynote speakers. The in-person 2022 R2R is looking like a pre-COVID conference. For Sponsorships and exhibitor registration go to: Sponsorship Opportunities | 2022 R2R USA (aimcal.org) We encourage the GAA-Committee members to show your support by becoming sponsors.
For answers to your questions please contact Tim Janes at tim@aimcal.org as soon as possible; spaces are limited. The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee has been lining up speakers for the Gravure Track that will provide the gravure community with the latest in technologies and best practices.
As the opening article stated the GAA-Committee brought “Printers” into AIMCAL and for the R2R the Gravure track the committee approved sessions that would inform attendees on digital and rotary screen printing. The reality of packaging and product printing for many of our members, is they use different printing processes. With that in mind and having meaningful topics that support our members, it was decided to add other printing processes to the track. A live Gravure Basics webinar was held in May and a Gravure Fundamentals course at the 2021 R2R, so it was decided not to hold a Gravure Fundamentals in 2022. GAA-Committee members Bill Poulson and Tony Donato will present a Flexo-101 course on Monday September 26th. For those who need a Gravure Basics course go to: Gravure Basics an overview of the gravure process (aimcal.org).
Important notice for all who are using “1-Bromopropane” it is found in some degreasers.
The EPA has added CAS# is 106-94-5 (1-Bromopropane (n-propylbromide or nPB) is an organobromine compound with the chemical formula CH3CH2CH2Br) to the list of Hazardous Air Pollutants (HAPs) listed in Section 112 of the Clean Air Act. There are air permitting and air pollution control implications associated with this action. Companies using degreasers should have your EHS coordinator to check it is being used and or emitted. HAPs have to recorded and reported. I am not sure if it is being used in the printing industry but did not want to assume all were aware of the EPA action. If you have questions please contact tdonato@gaa.org
New Jersey Adopts Greenhouse Gas Rule Impacting Some Printing Operations
This article originally appeared on the PRINTING United Alliance First to Know page and is republished with permission. To learn more about PRINTING United Alliance and its vast member benefits, including access to veteran Alliance industry experts like Gary Jones who provides insight on critical issues such as these, please visit: www.printing.org.
As part of a new package of regulations, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) has adopted several new rules requiring more rigorous monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions in certain situations and one of them impacts printing operations. The rulemaking is part of a comprehensive strategy to address greenhouse gas emissions statewide. The rule effecting printing operations requires facilities that use 50 pounds or more of high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in refrigeration systems to register and report their equipment and use of refrigerants.
NJDEP reports that refrigeration system leaks comprise up to 35 percent of the State’s estimated overall halogenated gas emissions. The proposed registration and reporting program allows NJDEP to identify the use of high-GWP refrigerants in refrigeration systems in the State, providing a more accurate baseline inventory of these pollutants.
NJDEP defines a “refrigeration system” at N.J.A.C. 7:27E-1.2 to mean stationary, non-residential equipment that:
1) is an industrial process refrigeration (appliances linked to an industrial process), commercial refrigeration (appliance used in the retail food or cold storage warehouse sectors), or other refrigeration appliance; and
2) the equipment has a single refrigerant circuit that requires 50 pounds or more of any combination of high-GWP refrigerant to maintain normal operating characteristics and conditions.
Under this definition, a refrigeration system that requires 50 pounds or more of a high-GWP refrigerant or combination of refrigerants, at least one of which is a high-GWP refrigerant, will have to comply with N.J.A.C. 7:27E-2. Excluded from the definition are systems used for comfort cooling such as air conditioning systems, excluding chillers. Chiller used for comfort cooling or industrial process cooling are included in the new requirements.
NJDEP defines a “high-GWP refrigerant” to mean a compound used as a heat transfer fluid or gas that is a chlorofluorocarbon, a hydrochlorofluorocarbon, a hydrofluorocarbon, a perfluorocarbon, or any compound or blend of compounds with a 100-year GWP value equal to or greater than 150. The rule incorporates by reference the “GWP value” as published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The 100-year GWP values are published in table 2.14 of the 2007 IPCC AR4, at https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ar4-wg1-chapter2-1.pdf, and in Chapter 8 of AR5, pp. 731-37, Appendix 8.A, at https://archive.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar5/wg1/WG1AR5_Chapter08_FINAL.pdf. These values are also published on the NJDEP website at: https://dep.nj.gov/wp-content/uploads/ghg/refrigerants-100-gwp.pdf.
The owner or operator of a covered facility with one or more refrigeration systems must register and submit a facility registration fee. Registration is through the Department’s online business portal at NJDEPonline.com. Registration is valid for five years. Prior to the registration expiration date, the facility will receive a renewal invoice.
Initial registration is due by October 1, 2022. If the owner or operator has its first refrigeration system installed after the operative date of the rulemaking, the registration is due 90 days after installation.
Once the facility is registered, the owner or operator of the facility must submit an annual Facility Refrigeration System Report in accordance with N.J.A.C. 7:27E-2.3. Among other information, the report is to include the refrigeration system identification number and information for each refrigeration system at the facility, including equipment type, manufacturer, model or description, model year, serial number, date of installation, temperature classification, the full charge of the refrigeration system, and the identity of the high-GWP refrigerant. The report is also to include the quantity of each high-GWP refrigerant purchased, the amount of each high-GWP refrigerant charged into the refrigeration system that is not considered part of an initial refrigerant charge, and the amounts recovered, stored, or shipped by the facility to be reclaimed or destroyed in a calendar year. This information will be used to calculate refrigerant leakage and subsequent emissions from each facility.
Annual reports are due starting April 1, 2023, and all subsequent years on April 1, for the previous calendar year. The time period of refrigerant use for the initial report for existing systems is October 1, 2022, or the first month 90 days after the installation of a new system.
The owner or operator of a registered facility must also maintain records, as provided at N.J.A.C. 7:27E-2.4. Records to be kept include all refrigeration system service and refrigerant leak repairs, items required to be reported in the Facility Refrigeration System Report, and refrigeration system component data, measurements, calculations, and assumptions used to determine the full charge. The facility must keep the records at the facility for five years and must make them available to the Department, on request.
For more information, please see https://dep.nj.gov/ghg/ghgmr-rule/refrigeration/.
PRINTING United Alliance seeks to keep the printing industry updated on workplace requirements related to environmental compliance. For more information, or if you have questions on this or any other state regulatory program, please contact Marci Kinter, mkinter@printing.org or Gary Jones, gjones@printing.org
From the July Issue of SmallBiz@EPA
Below are a couple of articles from the July 2022 issue and to download the July issue PDF go to: https://aimcal.sharefile.com/d-saf30c337d0a04e95b47a25acc3669bd5
EPA Announces Winners of the 2022 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards On June 6, 2022, EPA announced the winners of the 2022 Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. Green chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the generation and use of hazardous substances. This year’s winners have developed new and innovative green chemistry technologies that provide solutions to significant environmental challenges and spur innovation and economic development. In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to tackle the climate crisis, EPA added a new award category this year that recognizes technology that reduces or eliminates greenhouse gas emissions. |
One of the winners that is of interest to Printing community is
|
The other winners can be found in the PDF
https://aimcal.sharefile.com/d-saf30c337d0a04e95b47a25acc3669bd5
EPA Seeks Small Businesses’ Input on Development of Proposed TSCA Data Reporting Rule
EPA is inviting small businesses to participate as Small Entity Representatives (SERs) for a Small Business Advocacy Review (SBAR) Panel. This Panel will focus on EPA’s development of a proposed rule to collect data to inform each step of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) risk evaluation and risk management process.
The proposed rule would establish a framework of reporting requirements based on a chemical’s status in the TSCA Section 6 Risk Evaluation/Risk Management Lifecycle. Additionally, this new data reporting rule would enhance the exposure-related data collected through the TSCA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) process. EPA is interested in ensuring its data collection strategies provide information to better meet the Agency’s basic chemical data needs, such as information related to exposure, health and eco-toxicity. Collecting data geared specifically towards prioritization, risk evaluation, and risk management would help ensure the Agency has relevant and timely data to inform each step of the process for reviewing potential risks from existing chemicals.
The proposed rule is intended to create a framework to obtain information about potential hazards and exposure pathways related to certain chemicals, particularly occupational, environmental, and consumer exposure information.
The potentially regulated community consists of entities that manufacture, import or process chemical substances, potentially including when the chemical substance is manufactured as a byproduct or is part of a formulated product or article (including import and processing). Learn more about potentially regulated entities.
EPA seeks self-nominations directly from the small entities that may be subject to the rule requirements. Other representatives, such as trade associations that exclusively or at least primarily represent potentially regulated small entities, may also serve as SERs. Self-nominations must be received by July 20, 2022. Nominate yourself as a SER: www.epa.gov/reg-flex/potential-sbar-panel-tsca-section-8-rule-tiered-data-reporting-tdr-and-recordkeeping. Read the press release.
Time is running out to nominate your colleagues or those you consider who have helped advanced the knowledge of the Gravure industry to the Cylinder Society Class of 2022. “The Cylinder Society is a way for those who are helping to advance the Gravure process and association to be recognized,” Hubert says.
Nominations for the Class of 2022 must be received no later than August 26, 2022. See the list of Cylinder Society members at Cylinder Society Members – GAA. The nomination form is available for download: GRAVURE CYLINDER SOCIETY (gaa.org)
As GAA continues to integrate into AIMCAL, the 2023 Golden Cylinder Awards are scheduled to coincide with the AIMCAL AWARDS that will have a January 31, 2023, entry deadline
The entry form will be available soon. So those who want to enter the 2023 GCAs, it will cover work performed between June 1, 2022, through December 31, 2022.
New Online “Gravure Basics” Video Course available
This course and all GAA-Committee Online courses along with the Gravure textbooks are all available at: www.aimcal.org, click on “Resources” tab, then pick “Products” from the dropdown. You will also see all the training courses and other products that are offered from AIMCAL.
The Gravure AIMCAL Alliance Committee NEEDS YOUR HELP! The GAA-Committee is looking for individuals who want to become involved in the committee and its sub-committees. We need those who want to become part of the leadership team as well as those who can help with the GravurExchange, promoting the associations to companies that use the gravure process, article writers, conference track topics and speaker recruitment, attending virtual meetings w/other association and on and on. If interested, contact Tony Donato tdoanto@gaa.org or text to 704-905-5178.
The GAA Committee reviewed the plans for the Basic and Advanced Seminars and decided it would be best to move them to June 2023. The Basic and Advance “live” Seminar is being held at Interprint in Pittsfield, MA. It was felt moving to 2023 would be better for the members who need to budget the training. The COVID-19 years have caused items that were routine budget lines to be left out, and time is needed to reschedule. More information will be available soon.
Converting Quarterly, the official technical journal of AIMCAL, is a great source of information and current news from members and the industry. Go to https://www.convertingquarterly.com/ to subscribe to the quarterly print magazine, the digital edition, the weekly CQ eNews…or all three.
For all the news you may have missed, go to Archived News (aimcal.org)
“Ask the Gravure Experts” is a feature where members from the GAA-Committee review your questions and reply directly to you, publishing the Q&A in the next issue of GravurExchange. One of the important benefits of being part of an association is the ability to network with members, and the “Ask the Gravure Experts” provides the opportunity to all readers of GravurExchange to collaborate. Send your question, subject line: “Gravure Experts” to info@gaa.org
If you are looking for new employees or are looking for employment, we encourage you to use the new resources on the AIMCAL website: (Jobs (aimcal.org). Members may post jobs at NO CHARGE. We invite you to see how easy it is to post jobs online today. To maximize your job posting, you should also post on the GAA website at Job Openings | Gravure Association of the Americas (gaa.org)
GAA Services, Training and Products:
On-site Training/On-site Consulting:
Bob Kikkert and Mike Gaffney are ready to help with on-site and/or hybrid virtual training and consulting. Those in need of these services, please contact info@gaa.org using subject line: “Consultant Services.”
The Gravure Textbook Sale Continues:
We continue to receive orders for the Gravure Process and Technology and the Gravure Specifications and Tolerances (GST) textbooks. They can be purchased at Shop (www.aimcal.org)
Gravure Certification:
Members continue to use the online gravure training program. There are four levels of Certification training. Information and registration for all four levels are available at https://gaa.org/services/training/online-gravure-certification-training/. Special Member pricing has been established for the certifications. For pricing and to register, email info@gaa.org and use subject line: “Certification.”
Want to become a member?
Anyone interested in having their company become a member of this dynamic association of companies that are promoting the gravure process, please go to: Become a Member | AIMCAL
Questions? Contact AIMCAL Member Outreach Director Tim Janes at tim@aimcal.org