Just how ‘green’ is your printer?

If you think it is important to take care of the environment then you may wish to look closely at what impact the print you purchase has and what your printer is doing to minimise the damage that printing can do to the environment.  Here are some questions you can ask your printer:

• Are they certificated to ISO 14001:2004?

• Are they registered to EMAS?

• Do they hold Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody and or PEFC chain of custody?

• Are they a carbon neutral company, can they arrange for your project to be a carbon neutral publication?

• Do they use vegetable oil based inks?

• Do they print using an alcohol replacement system? If not, what percentage of alcohol do they use in their fount solution?

• How many by products from the print operation are recycled?
  (paper, press plates, press blankets, machine parts, ink tins/cartridges, solvents, pallets)

• How many by products from the general operation are recycled? (office paper, cardboard, plastic, CD’s, toner and print cartridges, batteries, food waste)

• Do they use renewable energy to power the factory?

• Are there any energy saving devices fitted on the site?

• What work do they carry out that involves the wider community?

• Are all of their environmental claims externally audited?