The Survey Says. . . Emerging Green Strategies

What could be some reasons for this trend, especially in sheetfed shops? Perhaps 100 percent recycled paper is too expensive in larger sheet sizes; or maybe printers choose not to run them because they could possibly wear down the blankets faster. Customers could also just not be asking for 100 percent recycled paper for their jobs. Many digital press vendors run certification trials for paper on their devices, and they could be certifying a greater number of 100 percent recycled paper.

While the printers surveyed see waste paper recycling as their biggest environmentally friendly step, they also see waste paper recycling as one the biggest waste disposal issues. Solvents and toner are also large disposal issues for print-for-pay businesses. Solvents may be a greater issue for companies because of the more common use of offset presses in the segment.

Solvents are almost always required in this environment, and these solvents often contain Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Solvents with VOCs have stricter regulations and may be harder to dispose of. Toner disposal may be a problem for print-for-pay printers because of the lower adoption of digital devices, and toner recycling programs with vendors or third-party companies may not be in place.

Alternative energy sources have a low adoption rate among print service providers. Biofuels are currently the leading source of alternative energy for printers, with wind power and solar power trailing closely behind. Overall, the adoption rate of alternative energy sources may be low due to the unavailability of purchasing alternative energy from an energy company.

Energy companies, however, are increasingly delivering electricity to businesses and individuals in the form of alternative energy. Wind power is a popular form of alternative energy that can be purchased from energy companies, and is being used by vendors and printers alike.

(See Figure 5.)