Sustainability requirements in the printing and packaging industry continue to increase. In addition to resource-efficient production, the recyclability of printed materials is becoming a key focus. Particularly for paper and board packaging, deinking plays a crucial role. Modern UV and LED printing technologies demonstrate that outstanding print quality, energy efficiency and circular economy principles can successfully go hand in hand.

For recovered paper to be converted into high-quality recycled paper, printing inks and coatings must be removed as efficiently as possible during the recycling process. This process is known as deinking.

After the recovered paper has been repulped, ink particles are separated from the paper fibres through flotation. While conventional printing inks have achieved good results for many years, the removal of UV-cured inks has long been considered a challenge. Due to the highly cross-linked structure formed during curing, residual ink particles often remained in the fibre material.

However, significant progress has been achieved through the development of modern UV and LED ink systems. Specially designed formulations now enable considerably improved ink removal, helping to enhance the recyclability of printed products and supporting a more sustainable use of resources.

In addition to the deinkability of printing inks, the efficiency of the curing process plays a significant role in the overall environmental footprint of a printed product.

With its LED UV system LEDcure NX, IST METZ offers a UV curing solution that significantly reduces energy consumption compared to conventional UV systems. LED UV systems operate without warm-up times, generate very little heat and provide outstanding electrical efficiency. At the same time, printers benefit from the long service life of the LED units and reduced maintenance requirements.

The lower thermal impact also opens up new opportunities for processing heat-sensitive substrates and supports the sustainable production of packaging, labels and commercial print applications.

Another important contribution to sustainable printing processes is FREEcure, the innovative curing technology developed by IST METZ. This technology enables the curing of specially formulated UV systems without the use of conventional photoinitiators.

As a result, potential sources of migration can be reduced while opening up new application possibilities. This approach is becoming increasingly relevant for sensitive packaging applications and future regulatory requirements. At the same time, FREEcure supports the development of innovative inks and coatings that combine high performance with enhanced environmental compatibility.

For many years, UV printing processes were primarily associated with maximum productivity, brilliant print quality and premium finishing effects. Today, the recyclability of printed products has become an equally important consideration.

New generations of UV and LED inks are now capable of achieving excellent results in recognized deinking tests. This allows paper fibres to be recovered more efficiently and reintroduced into the material cycle. The combination of deinkable ink systems and energy-efficient curing technologies creates the foundation for a more sustainable value chain in the printing and packaging industries.