Tips & ideas for a sustainable pressroom

[Lukew]

For the companies that have introduced sustainable practices in their pressroom, would you care to share some tips & ideas that others could look at implementing. If it is something that you have implemented that you believe gives you an advantage over your opposition then understandably this can't be shared.

EG:
Lighting - Have you changed the type of lighting in your factory that has reduced energy usage

Water - Have you implemented water tanks to capture water for toilets, general cleaning, fount chiller unit flushing

Energy - Have you implemented solar panels to reduce your reliance on grid power or perhaps use wind power

Heating / cooling - Have you implemented changes to the factory that reduces the need to heat or cool as much (Window tinting, insulation, special roof coatings to reduce heat penetration, closed off work area's to better regulate temperature)

Recycling - Have you implemented a system that sees the factory sending used ink tins, plates, plastics, paper, cardboard to be recycled

Chemical recycling / Re-using - Have you implemented systems that see you recycling solvents or re - using for other uses

Waste chemical & inks - Have you implemented a waste pick up service from a licensed contractor

Paper stocks - Are your house stocks based on sustainable paper ranges or do you offer it as an option if asked

Ink & Chemicals - Have you moved to products that are healthier & environmentally friendly, perhaps you have also implemented chemical substitution where some products have multiple uses.

Employee travel - Have any of your Employee's implemented car pooling, public transport, push bike riding, scooter riding as a means to reduce emissions while traveling to and from work

Tree planting - Have you implemented a tree planting system, where by you personally plant trees (not relying on some company from another state or country to do it for you at a fee)

Thats a list of a few simple idea's, would be good if you could elaborate if you have implemented any of them and add other idea's that your company has implemented.

 

[Lukew]

hmmm, no one has anything to add ? I would have thought with the way the industry is at the moment there would be a lot of companies that have introduced some sustainable manufacturing processes. Either they have but want to keep it private, or they don't have the time to respond.

 

[vniehaus]

Cross training. Half of our employees have mental disabilities but the two that don't can run any machine in the shop. Cross Training.

 

[warist]

Another good way to be green is with your deliveries. If you are driving around some old van than get gallons to the mile instead of miles to the gallon switching over to a better/newer vehicle can actually save money in the long run.

On a side note, tree planting is a good idea. I'm going to have to start trying to implement that.

 

[Green Printer]

I would get in contact with Certifying sustainability in the graphic communications industry - SGP or EcoLogo Program |

These groups claim to have all of the pertinent information. You can get a plaque and stickers and a certificate just like in the 1st and 2nd grade. Bring them home to mom and dad to get your accolades.

 

[Lukew]

I would get in contact with Certifying sustainability in the graphic communications industry - SGP or EcoLogo Program |

These groups claim to have all of the pertinent information. You can get a plaque and stickers and a certificate just like in the 1st and 2nd grade. Bring them home to mom and dad to get your accolades.

Green printer, I think you already know my thoughts on SGP. Smoke & mirrors along with a waste of time & money. It achieves no more then what you can do on your own.
Our company is SGP certified & the only thing we do different now compared to pre-SGP approval is record & fill out lots of paper work along with paying out a large sum of money for each SGP level obtained. Ow nearly forgot, we get to use that snazzy little logo with ticks on it lol.
Not once have the SGP trainers or auditors sat down with the press crew to determine if there is a better way to be doing things or safer products to be utilising.

Do the ticks mean anything to clients, probably not.
Do we market the actual environmental steps we have taken to clients, No.

Has the word "green" been lost in a plethora of "green" marketing that has bombarded the world over the last few years throughout all industries?
If a particular printing process was SAFE - HEALTHY - SUSTAINABLE & was marketed & explained in depth to clients maybe this would have more creed then "Green"

Just a thought.....

 

[Green Printer]

Green printer, I think you already know my thoughts on SGP. Smoke & mirrors along with a waste of time & money. It achieves no more then what you can do on your own.
Our company is SGP certified & the only thing we do different now compared to pre-SGP approval is record & fill out lots of paper work along with paying out a large sum of money for each SGP level obtained. Ow nearly forgot, we get to use that snazzy little logo with ticks on it lol.
Not once have the SGP trainers or auditors sat down with the press crew to determine if there is a better way to be doing things or safer products to be utilising.

Do the ticks mean anything to clients, probably not.
Do we market the actual environmental steps we have taken to clients, No.

Has the word "green" been lost in a plethora of "green" marketing that has bombarded the world over the last few years throughout all industries?
If a particular printing process was SAFE - HEALTHY - SUSTAINABLE & was marketed & explained in depth to clients maybe this would have more creed then "Green"

Just a thought.....

It appears that being certified by SGP has lapsed with some. http://sgppartnership.org/documents/2012/11/sgp-facilities-with-lapsed-certifications.pdf

Or maybe they see no value in the expenses related to the certification and elected to discontinue the process and the associated expenses.

 

[Lukew]

The expenses here in Aus for the higher level SGP certification's are very high. In struggling financial times how can a company SGP who offer very little, charge such fee's and still use the phrasing "Sustainable"

For some print shops perhaps they have changed their manufacturing process with the aim of lowering the cost of manufacture since implementing SGP. It would be interesting to see with the added fee's for SGP have they actually reduced their expenditure per % of monthly sales.

Green Printer: Your manufacturing process from what I understand can legitimately be marketed as Safe - healthy - Sustainable. Since implementing this process have you found the three key area's when explained to clients or perspective clients have more meaning and relevance then the term Green ?

 

[Green Printer]

Lukew
Unless you are in a market that requires stringent environmental controls for the 3 Keys as an industry overall NO BODY CARES. Explaining green print manufacturing to most customers is no different than a deer staring into to head lights. The look of DA what are you talking about and why should i even care.

Liquid packaging, pharmaceutical, medical, food packaging, cosmetic are the only groups that require the stringent controls. Many of the requirements for this are not government based they are insurance carrier based. Clean products keep the law suits at a minimum. Dirty products invite lawsuits.
I wish I could be more positive for our industry but it is not there to be and the word Green carries very little if any meaning.

 

[revalea42]

Thanks for share the post with us.

 

[vickichen159]

hmmm, no one has anything to add ? I would have thought with the way the industry is at the moment there would be a lot of companies that have introduced some sustainable manufacturing processes. Either they have but want to keep it private, or they don't have the time to respond.

I agreed with you. The sustainable manufacturing processes has becoming popular. I also want to know more about this industry. Green is very important.

 

[Green Printer]

I agreed with you. The sustainable manufacturing processes has becoming popular. I also want to know more about this industry. Green is very important.

I see that you are supplier vendor. What products and or manufacturers to you sell and or represent?

 

[vickichen159]

I see that you are supplier vendor. What products and or manufacturers to you sell and or represent?

I represent the including the professional door and window, cheap and high quality stone, tile and so on.

 

[Zebedee]

I am new to the print industry. Therefore I'm not sure if my suggestion is as outlandish as our Press Operators make it out to be. Could a Pressroom Assistant monitor a press run while the Press Operator takes lunch and breaks. Currently our presses are shut down during this time. We have three Sakurai offset presses.

 

[Smith]

Great ideas. Nice sharing with us.
Thanks!

 

[Green Printer]

I think that implimenting RACT http://www.epa.gov/apti/video/sip2009/JohnSilvasi.pdf could be a very good addition.

 

[dabob]

For the companies that have introduced sustainable practices in their pressroom, would you care to share some tips & ideas that others could look at implementing. If it is something that you have implemented that you believe gives you an advantage over your opposition then understandably this can't be shared.

EG:
Lighting - Have you changed the type of lighting in your factory that has reduced energy usage - Yes went to t5 fluorescents from the older larger ones - the hot stuff today is LED

Water - Have you implemented water tanks to capture water for toilets, general cleaning, fount chiller unit flushing - no

Energy - Have you implemented solar panels to reduce your reliance on grid power or perhaps use wind power - no but there are vendors out there that can sell you solar or wind produced power

Heating / cooling - Have you implemented changes to the factory that reduces the need to heat or cool as much (Window tinting, insulation, special roof coatings to reduce heat penetration, closed off work area's to better regulate temperature) - Here in the Bay Area of California - don't have a big need for that . ..

Recycling - Have you implemented a system that sees the factory sending used ink tins, plates, plastics, paper, cardboard to be recycled - Yes we have implented paper, metal, cardboard recycling for you business park - good for the enviornment and the biggest savings is in the reduced trash charges.

Chemical recycling / Re-using - Have you implemented systems that see you recycling solvents or re - using for other uses - no

Waste chemical & inks - Have you implemented a waste pick up service from a licensed contractorEnergy - Have you implemented solar panels to reduce your reliance on grid power or perhaps use wind power - waste ink is recycled into energy and then into roads (supposedly - a few years back one of our contractors was caught improperly disposing of the waste)


Paper stocks - Are your house stocks based on sustainable paper ranges or do you offer it as an option if asked - offered as an option

Ink & Chemicals - Have you moved to products that are healthier & environmentally friendly, perhaps you have also implemented chemical substitution where some products have multiple uses. - The state of California mandated that a long time ago

Employee travel - Have any of your Employee's implemented car pooling, public transport, push bike riding, scooter riding as a means to reduce emissions while traveling to and from work - no all of our employees live within 10 miles of the job

Tree planting - Have you implemented a tree planting system, where by you personally plant trees (not relying on some company from another state or country to do it for you at a fee) - no


So there you have it . . . we have been a State Certified Green Business since 2000 . . . - It's like Kermit the Frog says . .. It Ain't Easy Being Green

 

[mlewis]

I am new to the print industry. Therefore I'm not sure if my suggestion is as outlandish as our Press Operators make it out to be. Could a Pressroom Assistant monitor a press run while the Press Operator takes lunch and breaks. Currently our presses are shut down during this time. We have three Sakurai offset presses.

Sure they can. Of course some assistants are more capable than others. But who takes responsibility for the errors that are sure to take place? It cant be the operator, they aren't present, It cant be the assistant, they haven't received sufficient training. It would have to be management. How many perfect lunch breaks would it take to pay for one or two imperfect breaks? Would the imperfections be caught before the printing was bound and sent to your client? Would this monitoring take place while any job was running or only those with less demanding quality expectations? Who would make that distinction?