Last Updated: May 2
Category: General News
The GBN has recently changed how we get our newsletter printed. The newsletter is not only printed on recycled paper, but using vegetable based inks by printers who use a waterless press and are powered by renewables!
The Paper and Printing Industry is the fifth largest manufacturing sector in the UK, producing more than 6 million tonnes of paper each year. It is classified by global risk management company Det Norske Veritas in the same environmental risk category as the mining, oil and nuclear power industries! In a recent Envirowise report, only 50 of 12,000 printers had taken any steps to improve their environmental performance.
Environmentally, there are 5 main problem areas associated with printing: Water, Inks, Carbon Emissions & Energy use, Waste, and Solvents.
Large quantities of water are used in most printing processes. The water becomes contaminated and needs treatment. Waterless and digital printing overcomes this problem.
Inks used in the traditional printing process can cause a large variety of problems. Heavy metals such as barium, copper and zinc, contained in certain pigments (particularly metallic colours) can result in both environmental and worker health hazards. The main oils in non-vegetable based inks are petroleum-based. They are a hazardous waste and need to be disposed of correctly. Some inks emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as they dry, damaging human health and contributing to global warming.
Solvents can also damage human health, cause damage to the environment, and contribute to global warming. One particularly harmful solvent is isopropyl alcohol (IPA), used as a dampening solution. As it dries, it releases VOCs that contribute to the production of ozone, as well as being hazardous to pressroom workers. By operating and maintaining machinery to the highest standard or converting to waterless or alcohol-free technology it is possible to avoid using IPA. Another solvent, Methyl Ethyl Ketone which is used for lacquers, adhesives and inks is toxic to aquatic life.
The print industry generates relatively high levels of waste, much of which could be recycled or reused – wooden pallets, plastic wrapping, ink and ink tins, paper (especially off-cuts) and glass. Although currently, much of this ends up at landfill, new rules on the pre-treatment of wastes together with sharp rises in the landfill tax escalator due to take effect in April 2008 mean that printers should start to seriously consider recycling of their waste materials. If you would like to know more, please contact us.
