Even the inks we chose can have adverse environmental consequences.


Hondo Green recommends avoiding the following PMS colors on your next print project, due to the elevated levels of toxic chemicals and heavy metals contained in the inks themselves. Start by encouraging all of your designers and print production folks to put an “X” next to these colors in their swatch books as a reminder.


Or, if you must have a particular color, ask your printerʼs ink supplier to create a custom “heavy metal-free” color that matches your color of choice.


Pantone (PMS) colors with pigments containing Section 313-EPA listed chemicals:

Regular colors
123-126
136-140
1365-1405
150-154
1555-1615
163-168
1625-1685
170-175
176-181
1765-1815
183-188
189-195
211-216
259
286
300
313
320
327
340
347
354
361
368
389
419
436-440
443-447
455-457
4625-4645
469-472
490-495
497-501
4975-5005
504-509
5185-5215
5535-5565
560-565
567-572 		Metallic colors
8001-8005
8521
8540-8541
8560-8561
8580-8582
8600-8601
8640-8641
8660-8662
8680-8682
8700-8702
8720-8722
8740-8742
8760
8762
8780-8781
8800-8801
8820-8822
8840-8841
8860-8862
8881-8882
8900-8902
8921
8941-8942
8961