Towards Environmentally Friendly Printing

The printing industry can so easily become the bete noire when it comes to environmental discussions regarding the future of the planet. Often miscast in the same villainous role as the oil and tobacco companies, they are used as scapegoats by our consumer society when we play the blame game. You can choose not to smoke. You can buy a hybrid car. But it's hard not to read paper-based publications. The truth is that we all read publications and hold in our hands the product of the printing industry's endeavours - ink on paper. And it's going to stay that way for many years to come. We all therefore have a responsibility to understand the impact printing has on our world - paper and power consumption and waste generation, and how we can help minimise that impact.

Best practice from an environmental perspective results in reduced land fill, reduced toxic waste and emissions from pulp and paper processing entering waterways and the air, and less demand on paper that is sourced from virgin forests.

Some interesting facts:
> Over 40 per cent of trees that are logged globally are used to make paper,
> Recycled paper accounts for about 10 per cent of the paper market worldwide.
> Affluent countries such as the United States and Australia among the leading consumers of paper.
> Paper consumption is growing. About 95 per cent of business information is still stored on paper, while the greater availability of copying machines, printers and fax machines, as well as personal computers and desktop printers, has produced an increase rather than a decrease in demand for paper.

Designers and printers who specify paper stocks should adhere to responsible environmental practice. I have compiled a list of Environmental labels and schemes to help you recognise what is available.

The sourcing of wood fibre from well-managed forests is referred to as
FSC
PEFC
SFI

Environmentally responsible manufacture is referred to as
ISO 14001
EMAS
Nordic Swan
Blue Angel
EU Eco-label

FSC
The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organisation promoting responsible forest management.
FSC has developed principles for forest management and a system of tracing, verifying and labelling timber and wood products which originate from FSC certified forests.
> A minimum of 30% of the virgin fibre must be FSC approved for the product to carry the logo.

EMAS
The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is the European Union's voluntary instrument which acknowledges organisations that improve their environmental performance on a continuous basis. EMAS registered organisations are legally compliant, run an environment management system and report on their environmental performance through the publication of an independently verified environmental statement. They are recognised by the EMAS logo, which guarantees the reliability of the information provided.

PEFC
The PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) is a framework for the mutual recognition of national or regional forest certification schemes, rather than being a specific scheme in its own right. National governing bodies apply for membership of the PEFC Council (eg.the Finnish Forest Certification Council is endorsed by the PEFC).
> A minimum of 70% of the fibre must be PEFC approved for the product to carry the logo.

Nordic Swan
An environmental label encouraging production methods that create minimum environmental impact.
> The broad criteria are a ‘life cycle analysis’, quality and performance standards and the periodic raising of environmental standards.
> Now being replaced in favour of environmental management systems such as EMAS.

SFI
Sustainable Forestry Initiative. The American Forest and Paper Association’s Sustainable Forestry Initiative aims to ensure ongoing renewable resources across the country.

EU Eco Label
The EU Eco-label 'Flower' is a certification scheme aimed to help European consumers distinguish greener, more environmentally friendly, products and services (not including food and medicine.) Over the past ten years, the 'Flower' has become a European-wide symbol for products, providing simple and accurate guidance to consumers. All products bearing the 'Flower' have been checked by independent bodies for complying with strict ecological and performance criteria.

Bleaching
White paper undergoes a bleaching process. In the past chlorine bleaching was the preferred method because it produced the whitest pulp – however it produces organochloride compounds, an extremely toxic carcinogen. Many paper mills have adopted more environmentally-friendly bleaching methods in order to reduce their dioxin emissions.

Bleaching methods:
> Elemental Chlorine Free (ECF) which substitutes more benign compounds such as chlorine dioxide for elemental chlorine gas. Dioxins and other persistent carcinogens still remain in ECF effluent, albeit at significantly lower levels than from chlorine gas based processes.
> Process Chlorine Free (PCF) which substitutes benign agents such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide, and oxygen, though the pulp may contain recycled or recovered materials that were originally bleached with chlorine.
> Totally Chlorine Free (TCF) which substitutes more benign agents such as ozone, hydrogen peroxide and oxygen.

Just imagine if every designer and printer adhered to these best practice principles - what a difference it would make to this world. Are you doing the right thing?

Matthew White is the Senior Designer at Heywood Innovation in Sydney Australia.
info@heywood.com.au
www.heywood.com.au

Sources:
Green Guide
Green Fact Sheets
www.spicerspaper.com.au
Evans, P. (1997) The Complete Guide to Eco-friendly Design North Light Books, Ohio, USA
Rethink Paper
Alliance for Environmental Technology

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