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If you’re seeking soy-based ink for desktop printers as an alternative to petroleum-based ink cartridges, chances are you haven’t found one. All soy-based ink formulations are available for general commercial printing purposes like those used for publication of newspaper or books, or for printing business forms and legal documents.
In fact, soy-based ink was originally formulated by the technical staff of the Newspaper Association of America during the 80s, not for its features as a green alternative but as a more reliable resource for ink. During that era, petroleum supply was greatly affected by the problems of the oil-producing countries. The newspaper industry leaders perceived this as a growing problem; hence, intensive studies were launched to address the difficulties of finding a more reliable source of ink supply.
After a test of more than 2,000 vegetable oil formulations, it was established that soybean oil was the most excellent choice. Subsequently, the findings about volatile organic compounds (VOC) and their harmful emissions had pinpointed the wide-spread use of petroleum-based ink as among the major sources. As a result, the “Vegetable Ink Printing Act” was mandated by the U.S. Congress in 1994, which required contractors of printing jobs for government forms and contracts to make use of vegetable-based inks whenever possible.
Although not totally VOC-free, the said ink’s minimal VOC levels provided the printing industry with an environmentally friendly solution without having to sacrifice quality. Soon enough, the successful use of soy-based ink for printers spawned the development of other formulations that would work not only on lithographs but on other types of printing techniques as well.
Unfortunately, soy-based ink for desktop printing is still unavailable. Still, this does not mean that home and office users do not have a greener option for their desktop printers and photocopiers.
