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Based on the most current product information from Paper Mills, many upgrades/changes are happening across the board. These changes involve trying to keep up with State Legislations that are now limiting or eliminating certain chemicals from being imported into certain States.
The most well-known is California, with Proposition 65. This legislation is a master list of “banned” or chemicals that must be announced if they are to be imported and used in California. This is why many Online stores list “Proposition 65” in their ads. California was the first to list Bisphenol A (BPA), directly affecting the Thermal Paper Markets. At the time, most of the paper mills that produced Thermal Paper used BPA in the construction of their paper. Since Proposition 65 has been in force, almost all reputable Thermal Producers have become BPA-free.
Fast Forward to just a few months ago, California added the chemical Bisphenol S (BPS) to its list. This has sparked the second round of re-engineering of thermal paper by the paper mills. Their goal is to provide both BPA and BPS-free papers. This transition will continue and will continue over the next 12-18 months.
The State of Washington has decided to “One-Up” the State of California with its own chemical ban. On their list are not only BPA and BPS but all other Phenols. This means that the paper mills are working overtime to come up with a new product altogether that is Phenol Free. The downside to this legislation is that it may end up being a classic case of Unintended Consequences.
An example of this is that some Paper Mills are already touting PHENOL FREE Paper. The question that is not being asked is, “What are you using for your image developer if Phenol is not used?”
The answer will shock you! Answer: PERGAFAST
What we need to know about Pergafast: In 2015, the EPA rated Pergafast 201 as a low to moderate Human Health Hazard, but High to VERY HIGH Environmental Hazard. Also, GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals rates Pergafast 201 in a BenchMark 2 Rating, which translates to “Use, but search for safer substitutes.”
In summary, each mill is working on advancing its technologies to meet the changing legislative requirements. However, some of the “new” technologies may not be better, but even worse than the older technologies. Time will tell who the big winner is in the thermal paper race.
For Questions/Comments Contact Brandon Kent, Vice President, Telemark Diversified Graphics at bkent@telemakcorp.com
