How To Achieve Digital Printing That Is Eco Friendly

By Angela Thomas


There have been sustained efforts geared towards adopting more environmental friendly industrial solutions all over the world. The printing industry is one of those affected. Printing firms are now moving towards digital printing that is eco friendly and abandoning decade old practices which have been shown to have a negative impact on the environment. We will explore some of the ways in which you can adopt to this new order of things in this industry.

One of the changes which are being implemented involve the types of ink used. The conventional ink is known to release volatile organic compounds, VOCs into the environment. When these compounds interact with nitrogen oxide in the presence of sunlight a layer of ozone is formed within lower atmospheric zones. This ozone layer (unlike the protective layer higher up in the atmosphere) attracts dust particles and forms smog.

Recycled paper is a product which is increasingly being accepted as an alternative to fiber paper by many printing plants as well as customers. One of the benefits of using recycled paper is the fact that it requires less water to process compared to virgin paper. It also has less effluent. More importantly, however, recycled paper reduces the rate of deforestation and helps conserve the environment. New methods which do not use chlorine for bleaching now exist.

There are a number of other raw materials which can be recycled or reused. One of the inputs which may be recycled easily is water. In a firm which is operating efficiently, up to 65% of water can be recycled. This is likely to translate into huge savings as relate to operational costs. Other materials can also be recycled to various extents. Such may include, waste paper, ink and aluminum plates.

Ensure you invest in energy efficiency systems. Reduce your reliance on fossil fuels and increase the use of renewable energy sources. If you are to buy new equipment, make sure it has a faster running speed which is likely to help you achieve more output for every kilowatt of electricity you consume. Subject all your printers and machines to regular servicing to ensure that they remain efficient.

The firm should reduce the use of paper in handling proof or avoid altogether. The good news is that many firms are now using email for this. Customers are engaged electronically and can easily keep track of their proofs as they move through various stages. Eliminating the use of paper not only conserves the environment but also increases efficiency. Indirect benefits such as reduced need for gas to drive to the site are also realized.

With regard to digital printing involving fabrics, one of the areas in which improvements can be made is in the pretreatment process. Traditionally, this stage has involved the use of chemicals which contain high levels of urea. When the fabrics are steamed, carbon dioxide, a well-known greenhouse gas is released into the environment. An alternative to this method is to use a special foam which achieves which is less harmful to the environment.

There is no doubt that the possibilities in environmental conservation are limitless. It is true that some changes are a bit expensive to implement but the returns are tremendous both to individual businesses and the environment. There should be increased usage of modern technology which helps to increase efficiency and reduce wastage.




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