Environment & Safety

Welcome to the EHS Department’s Green and Sustainability Resources Page. Here you will find articles, links, and other information related to green and sustainable printing.

These resources provide information on a variety of sustainabilty topics applicable to the printing industry, including:

• Becoming a green printer
• Energy efficiency
• Lean manufacturing
• Responsible sourcing
• Pollution prevention
• Carbon footprinting
• Reduce, reuse, recycle!

Becoming a Green Printer

Becoming a green printer isn’t an overnight process, but these resources can help you begin the process:

• ”How Going Green Can Make you More Profitable”. This article by Gary Jones, Printing Industries Assistant Vice President of EHS Affairs, identifies the ways in which “going green” can save you money.
• Printing Industries’ Green Guide for Graphic Communications.
• "Implementing A Sustainability Management System" is an article by the Printing Industries EHS staff that desribes how to improve business with an effective sustainability management plan.

Lean Manufacturing

Lean manufacturing reduces waste and operating costs.  These resources will help you implement strategies and techniques to reduce the costs associated with the seven wastes indentified by lean manufacturing.

• U.S. EPA Lean and Environmental Toolkit: This EPA toolkit offers practical techniques and strategies that can help make environmentally protective lean decisions a routine task of your business operations.  The toolkit is available on the U.S. EPA’s “The Lean and Environment Toolkit”.

Responsible Sourcing

Obtaining and using input materials to manufacture finished products is one of the most critical aspects of a sustainability program. In many instances, especially from the perspective of print customers, consumers, and environmental groups it is the primary or sole aspect of concern.

In fact, those printing companies that do not institute a program to determine the source of the components that are used to prepare their input materials run the risk of exposing themselves and their customers to negative publicity and even legal troubles, especially as it pertains to the Lacey Act and paper made with fiber that has been illegally obtained.

This is why is important to gain a better understanding of the sourcing of raw materials as well as the manufacturing of input materials. Practicing “due diligence” regarding the sourcing of input materials will help alleviate many concerns and significantly reduce the risk associated with using materials that are harmful to the environment, employees, and in some instances, are illegal. 

Paper

Since paper composes the core component of almost all commercial printing jobs and is the input material with the most significant environmental impact, it often receives the most attention. Two important aspects associated with paper sourcing are: establishing a paper procurement policy and understanding the source of the fiber that is used to make the paper. These aspects are complementary, and a well crafted paper procurement policy serves several purposes as it sets the standard for the company, becomes one of the primary communication tools for customers and other interested parties. It also serves as the cornerstone of any due diligence program required under the Lacey Act. 

For more information on responsible paper sourcing please see the following articles:

• "Environmental Paper Choices - Beyond FSC, SFI or PEFC."
• “The Lacey Act”
• “Responsible Paper Sourcing”

Paper Procurement Policy

A paper procurement policy states the steps that a printer will take to responsibly source their paper.  It includes goals and commitments that a company will make and communicate, often including issues such as increasing the use of paper containing recycled fiber, giving purchasing preference to papers that are elemental chlorine free, or using paper sourced from well managed forests.

The following links povide some examples of existing paper procurement policies.

• Bank of America
• Limited Brands
• LLBean
• Office Depot
• Office Max
• Sears
• Staples
• Transcontinental

Paper Sourcing

Paper suppliers have a wealth of knowledge about the source of the fiber used in their papers, and are the best resource for information about paper sourcing. The resources identified below provide additional information on paper sourcing. However, there is one word of caution in using these resources - it is important to understand that the information is not comprehensive and that each organization is using its own set of criteria to determine the environmental impact of paper and the paper manufacturing process. There is no set of universal criteria to determine the environmental impacts of paper. These resources provide additional information to be considered.

• Conservatree’s information on environmentally-preferable papers and resources designed to help manage paper recycling.
• Canopy’s Ecopaper Database
• Direct Mail Association’s Environmental Planning Tool
• Environmental Defense Fund’s Paper Task Force Report on paper purchasing
• Green Press Initiative – List of over 100 “Book Papers” that meet GPI’s criteria.
• Green Seal’s Printed Paper and Newsprint list
• Paper Life Cycle – Information on illegal logging
• Responsible Purchasing Network’s Paper Standard Comparison Guide
• World Resource Institute’s Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper Based Products

Ink

Ink represents the second most common input material that receives attention from print customers, consumers, and environmental groups. There are several environmental aspects associated with inks that are important to consider that include volatile organic compound emissions, hazardous air pollutant emissions, heavy metals, renewable resource content, and recyclability. For information on responsibly sourcing ink, see the resource below:  

• National Association of Printing Ink Manufacturers (NAPIM) has developed its "Formulating Inks to Minimize Environmental Impact", which discusses the nature of printing inks and the environmental issues associated with their use.
• NAPIM’s "Bio-Derived/Renewable Content Program" is a labeling program designed to evaluate and minimize the environment impact of inks

Energy Efficiency

Improving your energy efficiency is an important step towards saving money and reducing your emissions of air pollutants including greenhouse gases.  Below are some resources to help you increase your energy efficiency:

• The ENERGY STAR program is a joint U.S. EPA and U.S. Department of Energy program designed to recognize those products and companies that meet voluntary energy efficiency goals. 
  
  Important Note: The ENERGY STAR Program announced new requirements for computer monitors that wish to earn the Energy Star label.  The new requirements will take effect in October 2009. The U.S. EPA estimates that, on average, Energy Star monitors that qualify for the label will be 20 percent more efficient than those that do not.
• Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE): The DSIRE database is a comprehensive source of information on federal, state, utility, and local incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.
• The U.S. Department of Energy's Save Energy Now is a voluntary program to help industry reduce energy intensity by 25% in ten years. Resources available include software, fact sheets, case studies and webinars to assist in identifying energy saving opportunites.

Compressed Air

A USDOE survey shows that for a typical industrial facility, approximately 10% of the total electricity consumed is for generating compressed air. Printing facilities are no exception. Below are some resources to learn more about maximizing your compressed air system’s efficiency:

• For an introduction and summary of compressed air energy concerns for the printing industry, see “Compressed Air and Sustainability” an article by Printing Industries of America’s Assistant Vice President of EHS Affairs, Gary Jones.
• Compressed Air Challenge, a collaborative industry, utility, and government resource, provides several helpful resources:
• Eleven fact sheets designed to help you improve the performance of your compressed air system
• Case Study - John H. Harland Corporation printing plant
• Case Study - Bakersfield Californian’s printing facility
• Improving Compressed Air System Performance Reference Guide
• A variety of articles on the topic
• AIRMaster+, a free online software tool that helps users analyze energy use and savings opportunities in industrial compressed air systems

Pollution Prevention (P2)

The best way to fix an environmental concern is to prevent it from happening in the first place.  These resources help you find ways to prevent releases of pollution at your facility.

• P2 Checklist for Lithographic Printers. The first step in preventing pollution is to identify pollution streams and prevention opportunities.  The PNEAC P2 Checklist for Lithographic Printers organizes pollution prevention opportunities by operation, from plate making to chemical storage.

Carbon Footprinting

More and more, consumers and companies alike are asking question about the carbon footprint of the products they purchase and the companies they purchase them from.  But estimating your carbon footprint can be a confusing and controversial task.  Below are resources that describe how to accurately estimate your company's carbon footprint. There are many different ways to calculate your carbon footprint.

• “Calculating and Reducing Your Carbon Footprint”. This 2008 PNEAC Article of the Year by Paul Jakubski, Director of Environmental and Safety for Dow Jones, Inc. describes the steps you need to take to calculate your carbon footprint.

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle!

They are the three R’s of green and sustainable printing.  When printers think recycling they may think paper, but most input materials can be reduced, reused, and recycled in some form or another. Below are resources that help you reduce, reuse, and recycle your solvents, inks, office supplies,  . . . and, of course, paper.

• Printers National Environmental Assistance Center: www.pneac.org offers a variety of fact sheets and case studies on recycling paper and ink and solvent recovery.
• eCycling: The U.S. EPA maintains an eCycling website with information on reducing and recycling your electronic waste.

The Value of Print

Print is often criticized for its loss of value and importance in the market, as well as its impact on the environment. It is essential to convey the message that print is important to brand recognition and the sales process, and that we are an environmentally and socially responsible industry.

• Visit The Value of Print for more resources.

Two Sides

Two Sides is a non-profit organization created to promote the responsible production and use of print and paper and to improve sustainability standards and practices. Printing Industries of America supports Two Sides and is involved with them as an allied organization.

The Print and Paper Myths and Facts Brochure is a tool Two Sides has designed and made available for the industry to share carefully researched facts about the sustainability of print and paper. Details on the brochure and information on creating your own personalized brochure are available here.  

For more information contact Gary Jones at gjones@printing.org.