This being a drupa year we’re expecting all sorts of new technologies to be presented in Düsseldorf in May. And not to be outdone, Fespa in Amsterdam is the site of a bevy of new technologies this month. Ricoh will introduce a new flatbed roll-to-roll printer and there will be many more new products to explore. There is certainly no lack of innovation, but we aren’t seeing enough being done when it comes to sustainability developments.

The problem isn’t so much with commercial print waste, since most of this is still paper based. Paper recycling is well-established in developed economies and although the paper industry is slacking when it comes to digital print deinking and recycling investments, the model is at least there. At some point the necessary upgrades will be made.

Press technologies are also readily recycled and here too a model is in place. Ricoh, Canon, HP and Xerox have long since reused skins and other components from devices they have reclaimed for reuse. And printing presses have very long lifespans, assuming parts and consumables are still available. But more seriously we have new inks and substrates that cannot always be easily parted. This compromises paper recycling and will undermine the considerable advances made in the industry’s environmental sustainability in the last few years. That said, in the commercial print sector we have an established foundation and supply chains for improved sustainability. The same cannot truly be said for the packaging sector where innovation, particularly in materials science may be spurring more problems than it solves.

In the last few years we have seen some gorgeous innovations in shapes and sizes of packaging, thanks to innovation in substrates, inks and packaging systems. There has been a trend towards smaller packages and multipacks, packages within packages which suits the market but drives excess packaging consumption. This inevitably generates waste, much of which gets burned rather than being put into established recycling streams.

According to data from the European Union (EU), each European generated an average of over 188kg of packaging waste, ranging from 73.8kg per person in Croatia to more than 246kg per person in Ireland. The EU’s goal is to recycle 70% of packaging waste by 2030, from all sources but perhaps we shouldn’t be generating so much of it in the first place. That is much easier said than done, but as with judicious use of print which is now a commonplace, we can all think more carefully about the packaging waste we generate. 

Laurel Brunner

This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.

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Available from 30 November 2023, and held in the Sustainability Training Room at Fespa UK’s HQ in South Yorkshire, the one-day courses are given by Jon Hutton, Fespa UK’s sustainability lead. They have been designed to either integrate a mixed group of businesses and provide them with the opportunity to network and share ideas, or are adapted specifically to focus on an individual supplier and their products.

Mr Hutton, a recognised figure, industry speaker and advocate for continual improvement of sustainability and the development of a circular economy, said, ‘With retail and consumer focus firmly fixed on the damaging environmental effects of manufacturing around the world, brand owners, print consumers, printers and suppliers are seeing the demand for being more environmentally aware.

‘Customers wanting to know the truth about the sustainability of supplier’s product’s is now high on the agenda, and the truth is often challenging, due to the complexity of graphics materials and the waste and recycling industries limitations. Forthcoming greenwashing regulations have added an extra layer to the whole topic of providing accurate information around the subject. This course will deliver answers to all these areas and give suppliers the confidence they need to address and navigate these subjects of their products and services,’ he added.

Suzi Ward, managing director of Fespa UK, said, ‘Suppliers are in a unique position to offer change; they have a responsibility, and now opportunity, to educate themselves and their customers in sustainability and best practices. We look at the lifecycle analysis of products with them to not only consider material options, but also waste and end-of-campaign. They will attain the knowledge to look at what the client currently has in place and confidently discuss environment impacts.’

The supplier course is relevant to business owners, managers and sales teams. It focuses on the four key product categories that are widely used throughout print, signage and graphics, looking at disposal options for paper and board, ridged plastic, flexible plastic and self-adhesive materials.

Courses will be delivered from 10am to 3pm and will include lunch and an opportunity to network and share ideas.

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The 3000sqm space, located next to the group’s Verona offices in Italy, will centralise operations, facilitating collaboration between companies, universities, innovative start-ups and users of products and services, and will work to co-create ‘high-performing products and solutions that are more befitting of a modern, sustainable and tech-optimised world’.

Fedrigoni has engineered various advanced technological solutions for speciality papers, packaging, creative communications and premium labels including RFID sensors for smart papers and labels, and durable paper alternatives to plastic that are tear-resistant, grease-proof, water-resistant and translucent. These papers are made from renewable fibre sources and many of them are made from fully recyclable raw materials. The new centre will enable the group’s customers to participate more effectively in the process. 

Marco Nespolo, Fedrigoni Group CEO, commented, ‘This ambitious project facilitates a multi-faceted collaboration between our suppliers and strategic partners to create a significant impact on the entire ecosystem in which we operate. Without continuous innovation, there is no future. Improvement not only comes through R&D but also through the exchange of experiences and insights between different parties with complementary skill sets. This helps broaden our perspectives to think of bigger and better solutions for our industry and the sectors we serve.’

The new centre is expected to be operational in the first quarter of 2024.

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Clients sourcing graphics from MacroArt at the event were provided with a turnkey print, install, dismantle and take-back service for their stand graphic prints, ensuring that all materials were captured and brought back for recycling correctly. Analysis after the event showed that some 1500sqm of graphics materials was collected, graded and processed into suitable audited waste streams by MacroArt’s dedicated Sustainability Team. The team developed processes to minimise impact for clients on-site whilst maximising the quantity of materials reclaimed.

Matt Guise, MacroArt’s sales director, was delighted with the success of the initiative. ‘As the first of what we hope will be many turnkey projects, it was rewarding to see both how smoothly everything went and how much material we were able to redirect to our audited waste streams,’ he commented.

‘Our experience at ICE has clearly shown that making a significant reduction in waste at large-scale shows is more than achievable, and we are now focusing on delivering and improving this service at future events. By providing this for both individual clients, and large scale shows with multiple clients, we are once again proving our commitment to offering the most sustainable options for graphic production.’

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In all, 537 projects were submitted by creatives from 29 countries, 411 projects published and more than 36,500 votes cast on the Antalis Interior Design Award website. The winners were chosen by an international jury made up of high profile figures in the world of design.

Among the winners was a UK entry from Leeds-based print production house Imageco, which won the Special Sustainability Prize. This was awarded for a project for Pie Factory, which wanted an exhibition stand made in the style of a greenhouse using 100% recyclable, closed-cell Xanita fibreboard . The stand has since been reused three times and will eventually be recycled at the end of its life.

Winner in the Public Building category French artist Daniel Buren impressed the jury with his project. An initiative of the Uhoda group, the Liège-Guillemin station in Belgium was illuminated in a vibrant wash of colour. The temporary artwork was deployed across a vast array of glass panels which transformed the shifting light throughout the day.

Inspired by the history and heritage of Agde in the south of France, Nilda Hernandez won the Special Windows Film Prize for Agde’s Mediatheque. She commented, ‘Thanks to Antalis and their Coala products, we created a decorative signage concept which represents a link to land as well as to an aquatic environment.’

Agnès Lafarge, Visual Communication Group marketing manager at Antalis commented, ‘We are very pleased with the success of this third edition. With the Antalis Interior Design Award competition, we support the development of printing technologies and open up possibilities to all professionals in the field of personalised interior design. Large-format printing is a great creative platform and a fantastic opportunity for expression.’

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An invisible watermark could function rather like a passport for individual packages or prints. At each stage of production, data about the print’s composition could be added to the watermark. When the package reaches end-of-life, the mark can be read and evaluated for sorting into the correct recycling process. There are other benefits, too: the watermark can carry details of the manufacturer, the package’s contents, the types of plastic used (if plastic is used) and the composition of laminates and embellishments. There is no end to the range of data that can be encoded, and this may create new opportunities for supply chain management.

In Europe over 150 companies have come together under the auspices of AIM, the European Brands Association, to assess how such digital technology can improve waste sorting and recycling rates for packaging. Their goal is to establish a circular economy for printed packaging in the EU. The Digital Watermarks Project HolyGrail 2.0 has been set up to prove digital watermarking’s viability for waste sorting and to demonstrate the business case for its wider deployment.

It’s very early days yet and the model depends on various other technologies being in place in supply chains and in waste streams. A standard reader and data format would for instance be required for all recyclers. Recycling technologies would also need upgrading to take advantage of the system. But before that recycling supply chains needs to follow some sort of common process everywhere. But this is never going to happen without commercial incentives, regulation of government intervention. The watermarking thing is a clever idea and one whose time will eventually come. Whether we’ll all still be around to see it is another matter.

– Laurel Brunner

This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.

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Much as we despise greenwash, it could be argued that its every droplet can make a difference and eventually aid wider environmental awareness. So for this reason, we try not to sigh when we read yet another press release touting ideas for supporting a circular economy. Repeating a message will eventually make a difference, even if the message sounds like greenwash.

Actega, a maker of specialty coatings, inks, glues and sealants recently declared its plan for becoming more sustainable. The company, like most responsible businesses, is investing in facilities and research and development. But Actega is also working towards achieving unspecified “new environmental certifications” which should include ISO 14001 for environmental management systems.

The company is putting sustainability at the heart of its business, particularly in the development of new technologies and products. The good news is that Actega recognises that we must all ‘move towards more sustainable raw materials … to combat climate change,’ as Benjamin Lux, Actega’s chief technology officer, summarises.

Mr Lux recognises that ‘We need to … ask ourselves how we want to manage resources, make and use products, and what we intend to do with the materials afterwards.’ In response Actega has committed to five tactics to move the business closer to a circular economy. They are: to ensure that Actega’s products can be recycled; to cut material waste and energy consumption; to strive to remove materials that cannot be readily recycled from products; to use alternatives to hazardous materials in products; and to look at partnerships to ensure complete degradability of packaging components that cannot be recycled.

This is an approach that more and more companies are pursuing. They start with a more complete understanding of the raw materials in their products to see what can and cannot be replaced with something less environmentally hostile. They then consider potential reformulations. Companies are working with customers, suppliers and regulators in order to ensure safe and environmentally sustainable product development. This is what should be at the heart of how our industry moves forward towards circularity, and hopefully more companies will take Actega’s path.

– Laurel Brunner

This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.

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Palight Re-Nu is manufactured by Palram in its Durham manufacturing plant and has been developed to use recycled waste from its end users and its own production line.

Palight, available in thicknesses of 3, 5 and 10mm, is produced as a co-extruded PVC providing a white surface for high image quality and colour accuracy. The 100% recycled content contains a mixture of post-consumer waste recycled from end-users, as well as pre-consumer waste processed via Palram’s own in-house recycling centre.

According to the company, the lightweight foamed substrate is ideal for projects including retail PoS, exhibition stands and general signage.

Marketing manager Luke Martyn said, ‘We have been working with Palram to develop Palight Re-Nu and introducing a 100% recycled option for our PVC foam customers. We tested the product at Sign and Digital UK this year and visitors were really excited to share this product with their own customers and delighted with the quality of the print tests taking place at the show.’

Tom Rose, Palram UK & Ireland sales manager added, ‘We grind up and reuse production scraps reducing production waste to under 1%. Cuttings and scrap are also collected from our customers, end users and external suppliers throughout Europe to create enough raw material to feed new products such as Palight Re-Nu.’

Over 80% of products available from Perspex Distribution are made in the UK including Palight PVC Foam and Palsun Polycarbonate manufactured by Palram.

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According to the company, the collection of five new products includes at least 25% sustainable content at the manufacturing stage, is recyclable, and was produced in Europe to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions.

Andy Wighton, managing director at Amari Plastics said, ‘We wanted to offer something different for our customers and create a range that is truly sustainable. We researched what sustainable means in real world applications and developed the range to ensure all products would deliver on core environmental goals. We set out strict criteria on the percentage of sustainable content in the manufacturing process, the percentage of materials that are recycled, and the manufacturer’s commitment to CO2 reduction. Finally, the solutions had to be a viable affordable alternative to traditional materials.’

Paul Colley, service centre manager at Amari Plastics South Wales, added, ‘Gone are the days when greener products had a longer lead-time, which meant customers sometimes were forced to opt for the less green version out of necessity.’

At present there are eight products available within the new range:

Altuglas R-Life EX – an extruded acrylic sheet that features 75% recycled content and is suitable for use in glazing, signage, furniture and retail display. 

Exolon Eco – a solid polycarbonate sheet that features up to 40% recycled content and has been specifically designed for security, safety and vandal-proof applications.

Vivak Eco – a polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) sheet manufactured with a minimum of 40% re-grind from its own production. Fabricated from a lightweight material with extreme break resistance, it ensures low energy consumption and high durability.

Foamalux Xtra – a lightweight and easy-to-handle foam PVC sheet, created with up to 80% reclaimed post-production waste content. Lightweight and easy to handle, the 100% recyclable sheet can be used for applications including signage, digital and screen printing.

AkyPrint – a polypropylene bubble board made using at least 25% recycled material, which offers single and two-sided printing and is suitable for use in both indoor and outdoor applications.

Green Cast – a cast acrylic sheet that is made with 100% recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. Claimed to look, perform and fabricate just like virgin acrylic, even after recycling.

Dispa – a 100% recyclable durable paper board that provides flatness and dimensional stability.

Smart-X – a 100% recyclable lightweight polyester/HIPS foam board suitable for demanding visual communications applications.

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The flatbed printer, which is 200% faster than the other machines owned by CIM, will enable the Norfolk-based business to offer additional services in-house, as well as speeding up workflow and removing some plastics from the print process. According to the company, the Nyala 4 has significantly increased its capacity for large scale print, allowing it to print up to three metres in width by two metres in length on flat sheets or a virtually unlimited length on rolls in one continuous run. It is also able to print on almost any surface, from doors to fabric, up to 50mm thick.

The machine will enable CIM to print on paper, card and other recyclable materials. By being able to print directly onto surfaces too, rather than producing a sticker to apply, CIM can cut out the plastic which would ordinarily be used in this process on other machines. In addition, the Nyala can print white, which allows double-sided print on clear items such as glass to be done in a single run.

The inks used are UV curable which dry faster and create a sharper finish, as well as being solvent-free (no VOCs), vegan and Greenguard Gold certified for low chemical and particle emissions indoors. The machine allows CIM to print raised lettering and braille, as well as textured surfaces akin to the brushstrokes in oil paintings.

Mark Baker, managing director of CIM, said, ‘We are delighted to install this new printer. The capabilities of the Nyala are like no other printer we own and give us the opportunity to help our customers to make more eco-friendly print choices while at the same time, continuing to meet tight deadlines and offer great customer service. We’ve already started to put this machine through its paces by printing on everything from yoga mats and corrugated card displays though to plywood and glass backsplashes.’

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