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Flint Group’s inks earn Cradle-to-Cradle certifications

The Flint Group Packaging Inks, a supplier of ink and coatings to the global packaging industry, reveal its ZenCode CG and ZenCode CS ink series have been assessed against the requirements of the Material Health category of the Cradle-to-Cradle Certified Product Standard, achieving Gold and Silver levels respectively. The company’s ZenCode portfolio is part of its recently announced ONECode solvent-based inks and coatings range.

ZenCode solvent-based inks were designed with the environment in mind and to promote the development of a circular economy in flexible packaging. Specific coloured inks, whites and a range of one-component and two-component overprint varnishes are available for both flexographic and rotogravure printing – including expanded colour gamut printing – and incorporate a certified range of chemistries.

The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute is a non-profit organization created to bring about a large-scale transformation in the way items are manufactured. Its mission is to provide a continuous improvement quality standard to guide product manufacturers and designers in making safe and healthy products.

Thomas Strohe, senior director of product strategy and segmentation for Flint Group Packaging Inks in Europe, said, “We were delighted with the outcome of the ZenCode assessment. It reflects our commitment as an organization to continuous improvement in product design and development. We are continuing to have a number of our products assessed to ensure we are meeting our sustainability vision of supporting packaging markets with responsibly built products and sustainable solutions designed for circular economies.”

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Material Health Assessment methodology is a contextual assessment based on chemical hazard identification and qualitative exposure considerations during a product’s final manufacture, use and end-of-life.

The assessment concluded that all materials used in the ZenCode range were either optimal or acceptable for use as defined by the Cradle to Cradle Innovation Institute and do not contain any highly problematic materials. The product’s assessed materials are therefore confirmed to not contain chemicals on the banned lists of chemicals above permitted thresholds nor contain carcinogens, mutagens or reproductive toxicants. The range also meets volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions testing requirements, as described in the Standard.