The Adoption Of Sustainable Digital Printing

By Richard Patterson


The trend in many industries all over the world is to switch to green technologies that not only conserve the environment but also contribute significantly to the reduction in operational costs. The printing industry is one of those that are undergoing radical changes. Traditionally, the methods that have been used in this process have had a detrimental effect on the environment and there have been sustained efforts to develop sustainable digital printing.

One of the areas in which major changes can be made is in the types of inks that are used. The conventional types contain chemicals that release pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These compounds are created when the chemicals are exposed to nitrogen oxide and sunlight in the environment. A layer of ozone in the low atmosphere is formed. This layer is undesirable as it contributes to widespread smog formation.

The use of recycled paper is a practice that is gaining acceptance by both firms and consumers. The direct benefit of this practice is the fact that it reduces the need for virgin paper and by extension the need to cut down more trees. Other benefits that you will realize in your firm are that it requires less water to process and results in less effluent as compared to virgin paper.

One area that is causing a lot of wastage is proof reading of manuscripts. In the modern era, it does not make any sense why anyone would invest so much in paper that may eventually end up as waste. Firms that have embraced modern communication techniques are realizing huge savings. The email, for instance, has made it possible to make changes on manuscripts easily without necessarily using paper.

Apart from paper, there are other raw materials that can also be recycled or reused. Water is perhaps the easiest to be put back into the process. One of the areas where recycled water can be put into good use is in the washing of printers. It has been shown that up to 65% of water that is used can be reused. The other materials that should be considered for reuse and recycling include waste paper, ink and aluminum plates.

Energy is another important factor to consider in the process. Most environmental conscious firms are now moving away from fossil based fuels in favor of renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind energy. Since it may be a bit costly to make major changes at a go, most companies do it progressively by replacing old inefficient equipment with that which has more output per kilowatt of electricity used.

The changes that are being undertaken in digital paper printing are also being replicated in fabric printing firms. One significant change that is being made with regard to the handling of fabrics is at the pretreatment stage. The conventional method employs the use of urea based compounds. When these compounds are broken down, they release urea as a byproduct. Urea is in turn broken down to release carbon dioxide. Alternatives to these compounds have been developed.

Adopting green energy solutions has widespread benefits both to the printing firm and the consumer. The cheaper costs of operation are usually passed on to the consumer who enjoys fair priced items. Most importantly, they both participate in environmental conservation.




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