Advancing VOC Emission Control in Label industries

Best Practices and Environmental Considerations

Labeling: the techniques

When it comes to packaging, labeling plays a crucial role beyond just brand identity. It's essential for operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and enhancing a product's shelf appeal. Label converting industries are serving a wide range of sectors, including food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, personal care products, logistics, and retail.

Several labeling techniques are used in the market, each with unique features and applications depending on the product, production process, and packaging goals. Here are some prominent examples:

  • Wrap Around Labels (WAL): these labels fully encircle a product, commonly bottles or cans, and are frequently seen on mass-market beverages. Made from paper or plastic film, they're applied at high speeds using adhesive and offer significant branding impact at an economical price.
  • Pressure-Sensitive Labels (PSL): PSLs are adhesive labels that stick upon pressure application, requiring no heat or water. They offer design flexibility and are ideal for unusually shaped containers, such as those used for cosmetics or household products. Available in paper, film, or foil and various finishes, PSLs can create striking visual effects.
  • In-Mold Labels (IML): with IML, the label is placed directly into the mold before the container is formed, becoming an integral part of the product during the molding process without the need for adhesives. This ensures the label will never detach. IMLs are popular for premium packaging in food, personal care, and durable consumer products.
  • Shrink Sleeve Labels (SSL): these labels are sleeves that shrink tightly around a container when heat is applied, conforming to its shape. Made from materials like PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or PET (polyethylene terephthalate), SSLs offer 360-degree graphics, making them highly effective for brand messaging and ideal for irregularly shaped bottles and containers. They also provide tamper-evident features.

    • Labeling: the converting techniques

    The creation of these labels relies on various solvent-based printing technologies, each carefully chosen to match different production scales, material types, and design intricacies. For instance, flexography is a popular choice for high-volume label and flexible packaging production. This method uses flexible relief plates and fast-drying inks applied in a continuous roll-to-roll process. Similarly, gravure printing excels in high-speed, high-volume jobs, offering exceptional detail and vibrant color reproduction. Ultimately, the selection of a specific printing method hinges on factors such as the desired quality, production volume, the label's material, and the allocated budget.

    Labeling: VOC Emission Control Technologies

    Given the widespread use of solvent-based inks and cleaning solutions in the labeling industry, the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) is a significant environmental concern. These compounds contribute to air pollution and can pose health risks. To mitigate these emissions, various control technologies are employed: Solvent Recovery Units and Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers.

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    The choice of VOC emission control technology is determined by several factors, including regulatory requirements, the quantity, type, and concentration of VOCs emitted, energy consumption, footprint, overall cost-effectiveness, and the environmental model (circular or linear).

  • SRUs capture VOCs from the exhaust air, allowing for the recovery and direct reuse of the solvents, which not only reduces emissions but also offers economic benefits by minimizing raw material costs.

    • SRU, Solvent Recovery Unit, also known as Solvent Recovery Systems (SRS) or Solvent Recovery Plants (SRP), are devices used to recover solvents from air emissions of label converting industries. Solvent Recovery Units (SRU | SRS | SRP) dedicated to label converting industries are the best solution to reduce solvent emissions (VOCs) in a sustainable way: no oxidation, no CO2 (DECarbonization). The solvent is recovered, for direct reuse, at a fraction of its purchase cost and with a purity even higher than the fresh virgin solvent.

    The SRU is an advanced environmental technology designed to capture and reclaim valuable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from industrial gas streams. At its core, an SRU operates as a gas-phase VOC adsorption system, utilizing activated carbon as the key adsorbing medium. The SRU is complete of on-site desorption technology. The VOCs, once adsorbed on the carbon are desorbed through a closed loop nitrogen regeneration process then condensed for direct reuse. Solvents are recovered at a fraction of their purchase cost, generating a very interesting ROI (making it both a sustainable technology and a true path to DECarbonization). SRUs can cover from small to large SLA (Solvent-Laden Air) volumes and deal with a wide variety of VOCs, including water-miscible, non-water-miscible, mono and multi solvent.

    Solvent-Laden Air (SLA), which is air contaminated with VOCs, is directed through beds of activated carbon. The activated carbon, with its highly porous structure, effectively captures and holds the VOC molecules onto its surface. Once the carbon becomes saturated with VOCs, a crucial step known as desorption occurs. This is achieved through a closed-loop nitrogen TSA regeneration process. Nitrogen gas, heated to an appropriate temperature, is passed through the carbon bed. This causes the adsorbed VOCs to release from the carbon's surface and become entrained in the nitrogen stream. The nitrogen-VOC mixture then enters a condenser where the VOCs are cooled and condensed back into their liquid form. Because it's a closed-loop system, the nitrogen is recycled back into the desorption process. The recovered liquid solvents are then collected and are immediately ready for direct reuse within the industrial process.

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  • RTOs destroy VOCs by incinerating them at high temperatures, converting them into less harmful carbon dioxide and water vapor.

    • RTO, Regenerative Thermal Oxidizers work by burning VOCs at high temperatures in a closed combustion chamber: through the oxidation reaction VOCs are converted to GHG (green house gasses, CO2, NOX, CO, and H2O). The heat generated during the combustion process is then captured and used to preheat incoming air (SLA, Solvent-Laden Air), which in turn reduces fuel consumption and enhances energy efficiency compared to traditional thermal oxidation methods. The multi-tower design of RTO allows for continuous operation. Please note that catalytic oxidation is generally not applicable in label industry, being the catalyst could be poisoned by some compounds in the chemicals (e g. inks, varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, etc), which can make it quickly ineffective.

    Any thermal oxidation processes will contribute to increasing your GHG (green house gasses) emissions and your fuel consumptions.

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    Partner with DEC

    At DEC, we understand the critical importance of VOC Emission Control in the label converting and packaging industry: as the leader in the field, we have honed our expertise over the years to offer you the most advanced and efficient technologies available today. Our commitment lies in providing value-driven solutions that not only meet your business requirements but also contribute to a cleaner and greener future.

    By harnessing our decades of experience and relentless pursuit of innovation, we have developed a comprehensive range of tailor-made systems for the unique challenges faced by label converting and packaging industry industries. Our state-of-the-art technologies ensure optimal batement efficiencies, allowing you to maximize your resources, reduce costs, and minimize environmental impact.

    Partnering with DEC means unlocking a world of possibilities. Our team of experts is dedicated to understanding your specific needs and delivering customized solutions that align seamlessly with your operations. We believe in building strong, long-lasting relationships with our clients, supporting you every step of the way on your journey towards sustainable success.

    Explore our website to discover the transformative power of our VOC Emission Control solutions: witness firsthand how our innovative technologies can help you optimize your production processes, improve efficiency, and achieve significant cost savings. Together, let's pave the way for a brighter, greener future in the label converting and packaging industry.

    Together, we can make a difference.

    Contact DEC

    If you are looking for a reliable and efficient VOC Emission Control system, feel free to contact us: we can help you assess your needs and recommend the best VOC Emission Control Technology for your operation.

    your challenges, our solutions!

    DEC HOLDING, DEC, Dynamic Environmental Corporation, DEC IMPIANTI, DEC SERVICE, DEC ENGINEERING, DEC AUTOMATION, DEC LAB, DEC ANALYTICS, DEC Group