SOUTHBOROUGH, Mass. (April 17, 2008) — Printing Industries of New England, the largest trade association to serve printing and graphic communications companies throughout the six-state region, will host informational sessions May 1st and 2nd in West Haven and Hartford, Conn. to help all Connecticut printing companies comply with recent changes to a wastewater discharge permit issued by the state’s Department of Environmental Protection.

    “It’s critically important for Connecticut printers to know how to properly dispose of wastewater and how to complete the permit application,” said Mark Flannery, director of environmental affairs and safety at PINE. “We want to make sure that printers understand the changes that have taken place and we want to help them be in compliance.”

In February, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection reissued a general permit for printing and publishing companies to discharge wastewater generated by commonly used print production methods. While many Connecticut printers already have discharge permits, changes have occurred to the permit application and renewal process. There are also modifications in the new permit to the discharge of out-of-specification waste streams such as high pH developer, low pH fountain solution, and silver-rich wastewater from film processing or silver halide-based computer-to-plate systems.

    There have also been changes to the monitoring, recordkeeping and reporting  requirements for which print service providers must be aware.

    There are approximately 700 printing and graphic communications companies in Connecticut that collectively produce nearly $2.6 billion in print goods annually.

Accompanying Flannery will be Jim Creighton and Art Mauger from the state DEP and Steve Mancuso of Hart Industries.

One informational session will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Best Western Executive Hotel, 490 Saw Mill Road, West Haven, Thursday May 1. The second session will be held from 9 to 11 a.m., Friday, May 2, at the Unisource Distribution Center, 100 Helmsford Way in Windsor. For more information, contact Mark Flannery at [email protected] or at 508-804-4107 or visit www.pine.org.