Post Consumer Printing Companies : Environmentally Friendly Printing Practices

As society becomes increasingly aware of the benefits of recycling, more and more companies are choosing to make a statement by going green. One of the latest industries to seek environmentally friendly alternatives is post consumer printing companies.

Traditionally, the process of commercial printing is taxing on the environment. Besides the obvious depletion of forests to make paper, printing companies produce VOC's-or volatile organic compounds-which pollute the air and increase health risks. Inks, varnishes and adhesives used by printing companies all produce VOC's. Additionally, the printing process requires a tremendous amount of energy; it is ranked 4th on the list of the largest energy using manufacturers worldwide.


Post consumer printing companies seek to offset these environmental risks of printing by using environmentally friendly printing practices, while maintaining quality and value. So just how do they accomplish this formidable task? There are many ways.

Most post consumer printing companies use recycled paper. But as every green consumer knows, not all recycled paper is created equally. The industry standard set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency says that for recycled paper, 50% of it should be post consumer waste , or PCW, which is derived from recycled paper. Any reputable post consumer printing company should only use paper with 50% or more PCW. Because the recycling process has been refined and improved over the years, recycled paper is now virtually identical in quality to new paper.

Another option for green printing companies is soy-based ink products, rather than the traditional petroleum based products which give off tons of VOC's. Since the solvents used to clean ink off of presses are also a big producer of VOC's, water washable inks have recently begun to take root and gain popularity with environmentally conscious printing companies.

Other environmentally friendly printing practices include strict monitoring and managing of their energy usage and choosing cholorine-free recycled paper. New options, such as ink-free printing using special paper with dye-crystals, are constantly being introduced.

With so many viable options available to green printing companies, it's no wonder they are becoming the standard for consumers who want a quality product that also protects the environment.