The International Paint and Printing Ink Council addresses key industry issues of concern. (includes related articles)

SINCE THE INCEPTION of the International Paint and Printing Ink Council (IPPIC) in 1992, advancement toward a global consensus on a variety of issues has been steadily progressing.

The IPPIC, comprised of paint and printing ink association representatives from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Europe, and Australia, has met four times in the last two years to discuss issues of mutual concern. Such issues include the eventual harmonization of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs), air quality/VOC content issues, environmental stewardship programs, lead, industry public relations, product labeling and waste management/packaging.

The council does not set policy but rather provides a forum for information exchange and cooperation on the major issues and priorities facing paint and printing ink industries worldwide.

Historically, these issues have had international implications, and the focus of the council is to attempt to coordinate the development of industry strategy. By reaching consensus on strategic initiatives from a global level, the paint and printing ink industries are able to tackle the issues from a proactive stance.

The council held its fourth meeting in Tokyo in April. As with earlier meetings of the IPPIC, the agenda was divided into two sections -- an "action" section and a "communication" section. The communication section includes issues that the council feels can be dealt with on an exchange-of-information basis, such as industry public relations, lead in the environment and waste management/packaging. The action section includes issues that have been identified as needing proactive industry initiatives, such as environmental stewardship programs, air quality issues and the proposed standardization of MSDSs.

A number of action items were discussed at length in Tokyo -- some with definitive …