Waste Reduction Strategies

Printing Industry

Waste Prevention

• Design page layouts to prevent waste. Put more words on a page by using smaller fonts and margins.
• Consider beginning chapter of books on the page immediately following the previous chapter.
• Consider lighter cover stocks or eliminating the cover completely, if possible.
• Use both sides of the page whenever possible.
• Order only what you need. Volume discounts make it economical to order more, but do you really need 1000 or 5000? Anticipate corrections and changes (e.g., will your business be moving or changing its phone number?)
• Use vegetable-based ink. This helps prevent air and water pollution and also provides brighter colors and rubs off less on the reader's hands.
• Avoid fluorescent (Astrobright) and goldenrod paper that is difficult to recycle.
• Alternative fibers such as kenaf, cereal straw, and sugar beet pulp are great alternatives to using trees and can be used to make beautiful paper. Promote these alternative fiber papers to clients as well as recycled content paper.
• For basic office waste prevention techniques see: General Tips

Recycling

• Choose paper that contains recycled content and is easily recyclable. White paper is generally highly valued for recycling collection. Avoid fluorescent and goldenrod paper which is difficult to recycle and consider using alternative fiber paper.
• Avoid plastic covers and bindings.

Composting

For more information visit these web sites:

• Composting Council of Canada
• Composting News
• Internet Recycling and Composting Resource Page
• Recyclers World central composting category
• US EPA composting

[print version]