# Drain-Safe or Eco-Friendly EMULSIONS?



## meaganellen (Sep 20, 2007)

HELLO!

I am looking to screen print t-shirts at my studio space that I rent. Previously, I screen printed in college. Now that I'm on my own, I want to make sure I'm using safe products that can go down the drain (but it's really hard to find these products!)...Any suggestions on where I can find drain-safe photo-emulsions? Also, I'm using water-based ink. 

Thank You!


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

All modern emulsions are drain safe. 

Nervous? Filter the water.
Poly-Pro Sinks for Screen Printing

Nervous? Go to the water filtration plant with the MSDS for your stencil and stencil remover chemicals and ask them. Our chemicals are nothing compared to what some places put down the drain.

Look for inline filters from plumbing suppliers.

Is your rental connected to the local sewer system?

If not, you should have your cesspool or septic tank pumped more often because those systems are designed for 'waste' that breaks down


----------



## meaganellen (Sep 20, 2007)

Hi Greaves,

Thank you! I'm surprised (happy) to hear that. I think I read somewhere that some emulsions can create sludge in the pipes. I'm pretty sure the place is hooked up to the local sewer system. I'll ask. As for measuring, I'm not sure what you mean. I was thinking about buying Ulano Proclaim Emulsion, which I'm pretty sure comes pre-mixed. 

Is there anything else I should be cautious about? I'm not planning on using Haze Remover or a spot gun either. Thanks for the help!


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

meaganellen said:


> I think I read somewhere that some emulsions can create sludge in the pipes.


I think I read somewhere that some food, hair and grass clippings can create sludge in the pipes.




meaganellen said:


> I'm pretty sure the place is hooked up to
> [*]the local sewer system. I'll ask.


If you're in an urban area without a big field or backyard in the country, I doubt if you are using a septic system.



meaganellen said:


> As for measuring, I'm not sure what you mean.


How are you measuring is my signature, which is meant to provoke readers into thinking about measuring what they do, especially when thy can't figure out what is happening - it's usually because they can't measure.



meaganellen said:


> I was thinking about buying Ulano Proclaim Emulsion, which I'm pretty sure comes pre-mixed.


Nope. 
Proclaim is sensitized with diazo. Perhaps you were thinking of Ulano QX-1?



meaganellen said:


> Is there anything else I should be cautious about?




Gloves & goggles for protection
Electrical load on circuit box
Ventilation
Customers that don't want _you_ to make any money
Not enough mesh tension so each and ever screen is unique and different
Not measuring exposure - Spend the rest of your life guessing, or spend $45 for tools that will last a lifetime
Not using halftone control guides if you want to print halftones
Buying an output device without any track record at screen printing
Thinking that water base is _safer _than plastisol
Not backing up art files off site
Gangs of mean people in lonely alleys
Not measuring curing invisible infra red temperature
Running out of ..... supplies. Running out in general
Not having at least a minimum web site and your own domain for email
Not focusing on selling, rather than printing skills
Lights that are not color correct so you make a mistake matching color
Putting aerosol cans where they can fall on the oven belt
Lint and spray tack is a fire hazard
Venting all the heat out of cabinet of your oven to collect smoke
Using cash instead of credit to buy shirts
Not measuring relative humidity where you dry your screens
Using a sharp edge coater instead one with a 2mm rounded lip
Focusing on saving money as a way to _make _money
Doing the wrong job next, instead of the job that should be done
No imprint records
Not measuring how much time you spend - NOT printing
Using soft blades to combat low tension mesh & your arms start to hurt
Thinking that blade pressure will overcome low tension mesh
Not saving up money to buy an automatic
Not using a back lit sink
Not permanently blocking out your screens with mesh glue
Not having a written Hazard Communication Training Program as required - oh, here comes that OHSA man again
Not having your MSDS in a ready to read binder
Using solvent resistant cloth tape too long and the cloth pulls off
Using a positive with low UV light opacity and UV energy leaks through
Teaching yourself computer color separation without outside training
No pre-registration system
Raising the heat temperature and speeding up the belt because you are in a hurry - low and slow is best
Not using a scale to measure ink formulas
Letting stencil remover dry on the stencil - get out the razor blade


----------



## hejhej (Nov 3, 2015)

We got this emulsion free as a sample, and I'm just wanting to make sure it's eco-friendly. I'm still pretty new to this and am having a hard time understanding what makes it eco-friendly or not.

Any experts out there willing to help? The product is KIWOCOL POLY-PLUS ER. Here is a link to the product...
http://static1.squarespace.com/stat...1e4ea121e8/1396375729920/KIWOCOL+POLY+PLUS+ER

KIWOCOL POLY-PLUS ER — KIWO Inc.


----------



## RichardGreaves (Nov 7, 2006)

Kissel+Wolf that is the parent of KIWO and adoptive parent of Ulano is perhaps the largest manufacturer of screen making chemicals in the world.

My answer is yes, it's drain safe to a commercial treatment facility.

Now, what did the instructions & SDS tell you? Not knowing what are you're afraid of, I suggesting you read this entire thread.


----------

