Waste Prevention in the Printing Industry

Skip to: Content | Footer | Accessibility

California Integrated Waste Management Board

Reduce...

Design to Prevent Waste. Put more words on a page by using smaller fonts and margins. It is not necessary to begin a chapter on the right side of facing pages. Choose a thin cover stock or eliminate the cover.

Double-Side Documents. Be sure to use both sides of the page whenever possible.

Order Only What You Need. Volume discounts may make it economical to order more, but can you really use 1000 or 5000? Anticipate corrections and changes (will your business be moving or changing its phone number?).

Request Vegetable-Based Ink. Soy and other vegetable-based inks help prevent air and water pollution. They also give brighter colors and rub off less on the reader's hands.

Request Least Toxic Colors. Some ink colors are less friendly than others because their pigments contain toxic heavy metals. Ask about heavy metals when choosing colored ink. Avoid metallic and fluorescent inks.

...and Recycle

Choose Paper That is Locally Recyclable

White paper is usually the most recyclable.

Avoid fluorescent and goldenrod paper.

Avoid plastic covers and bindings.

Ask for Recycled Paper. Help complete the recycling loop. Recycled paper may cost a bit more, but you can offset these costs by preventing waste printing fewer copies and fitting more words on each page. Remember to ask about the recycled content and the postconsumer content of the paper. Fifty percent postconsumer means that half of the paper is made of materials that were consumed and recycled. If the postconsumer content of recycled paper is not specified, it is probably made from manufacturing wastes which have not made a complete loop.

Look for "Tree-Free" Paper. Alternative fibers such as kenaf, cereal straw, and sugar beet pulp are used to make beautiful paper. Some sources are: Tree Free EcoPaper (800)775-0225, or visit the CIWMB website.

About Vegetable-Based Ink. Vegetable-based printing ink is made with vegetable oil, such as soybean or corn oil, as a substitute for petroleum.

Vegetable-based inks significantly reduce the amount of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) released into the air during printing. When the Los Angeles Times switched to soy-based ink, they reduced their VOC emissions by 200 tons per year and won an air quality award from South Coast Air Quality Management District.

While vegetable oils are a renewable resource, the pigment suspended in those oils is an often toxic ingredient for which there are few substitutes. Certain colors of ink, even vegetable-based ink, contain heavy-metal pigments like cadmium, barium, and copper, which are associated with various health hazards. If you choose colored ink, ask the printer for a color without heavy metals.

For More Help:

CIWMB Waste Prevention Information Exchange, (916) 341-6363. The Info Exchange has sample outreach materials from other organizations and offers technical assistance.

CIWMB Buy Recycled Program, (916) 341-6481.

For the name of your local recycling coordinator call the CIWMB's Office of Local Assistance at (916) 341-6481.

To order this publication (Publication #500-94-041) or for more Business Waste Reduction Assistance, please contact us! If you have questions, information, ideas, educational materials, etc., please share it with us so we can share it with others!