Page 414 - Solid Waste Analysis and Minimization a Systems Approach

392 PRINTING AND PUBLISHING APPLICATIONS

29.3 Constraints and Considerations

The constraints and considerations that the publishing and printing sector face involve
paper waste, its primary waste stream. The following is a list of key constraints:

■ Pulp fiber length—Paper fibers can be recycled only a limited number of times
before they become too short or weak to make high-quality paper. This means the
broken, low-quality fibers are separated out to become waste sludge. These paper
mill sludges consume a large percentage of our local landfill space each year. Worse
yet, some of the wastes are land spread on cropland as a disposal technique, raising
concerns about trace contaminants building up in soil or running off into area lakes
and streams. Some companies burn their sludge in incinerators, contributing to our
serious air pollution problems. Finding alternative uses for this sludge versus land-
fill disposal will divert a large amount of waste for this sector.
■ Paper color and quality—Changes to input materials may alter the quality or color
of the final product. This is especially important for printers. If switching to a recy-
cling paper will create a grey appearance to the article it may diminish the quality
in the customers’ eyes.
■ Chemical contamination—All the inks, dyes, coatings, pigments, staples, and
sticky items (tape, plastic films, etc.) are also washed off the recycled fibers to join
the waste solids. The shiny finish on glossy magazine–type paper is produced using
a fine kaolin clay coating, which also becomes solid waste during recycling. The
chemicals used in paper manufacture, including dyes, inks, bleach, and sizing, can
also be harmful to the environment when they are released into water supplies and
nearby land after use. The industry has, sometimes with government prompting,
cleared up a large amount of pollution, and federal requirements now demand
pollution-free paper production. The cost of such clean-up efforts is passed on to
the consumer.
■ Cost of equipment—The cost of equipment can be prohibitive and can cost thou-
sands of dollars to purchase and install.
Invest the extra time, space, employee training and retraining to sort waste and
recyclable materials. Employee involvement and training are key elements to the
success of the recycling program. Creating a strong, well planned system at the
beginning will save many headaches and additional costs for the organization at a
later point in time.
■ In-processing recycling limitations—In general, printers can not cost-effectively
implement in-process recycling due to space and resource limitations. Once the
paper has been torn from a large roll of raw material or marked with ink, it must be
returned to pulp form. Due to the equipment needed for this, most printers and pub-
lishers work with a vendor to perform recycling.

In terms of considerations, the printing and publishing sector is very much in the pub-
lic eye. Conveying a green image can help to bolster customer opinions and increase
sales. Printing on recycled paper and informing customers are key steps in this process.