Study claims digital book printing is greener than offset

By Melanie Defries Tuesday, 21 June 2011

Digital printing technology can reduce overproduction by 22 per cent and reduce the carbon footprint of a book by up to a fifth, a study commissioned by HP claims.

The research, which has been independently reviewed in accordance with ISO standards applicable to life-cycle assessments, looked at offset-only printing, digital-only printing and scenarios involving a mixture of both.

It found that combining analogue offset and digital inkjet printing can significantly reduce the number of copies returned by retailers without affecting the number of copies sold, and to lessen the environmental impact of printing, much of which, according to the report, comes from the resources used to create and transport paper.

The digital presses used in the study were the HP T200 and T300 web presses and an HP R85 Inkjet Press for in-store promotion.

Christopher Morgan, senior vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP, said that book publishers could boost profits by using digital printing to better match supply with demand.

He said: "Digital printing’s ability to efficiently and affordably produce books in smaller quantities reduces the masses of unused copy returns that have long held industry sustainability, and profitability, hostage."

Ralph Bell, chief operating officer of CPI Antony Rowe, the digital division of CPI UK, agreed.

"The study findings match our experiences," he said, "Publishers tend to order a more precise number of copies. They tend to order a low number and then come back for a reprint. Another benefit of digital printing is that you can print a whole book in one rather than having to print them in sections and have them put together, which will also help to reduce the carbon footprint".

CPI UK is investing £22m in digital print technology as part of a three-year programme and plans to buy 10 HP high-speed web presses.

The study results were presented at an event at Webcom Inc, the first publishing industry supplier in Canada to print books using an HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press. The Toronto-based company also uses an HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press to produce covers for the books.

http://www.printweek.com/go/digital/article/1076084/study-claims-digital-book-printing-greener-offset/#articleComments

High-tech copy machines a gold mine for data thieves

I feel this is a matter that we need to consider.

We can not be efficient if we can not manage and protect the security of our data and images stored in the digital photocopier machines. This would be a waste of IT resources, costs and time.

See http://tinyurl.com/printandit

Virtual Toner, Ink and Machine Pool

Consider making a virtual toner ink and machine pool resource.

Why: - Some tonners and printers are expensive. Machines may cost hundreds or thousands of pounds. I toner or set of inks could be in excess of £250 for some machines. Some toners and inks are low cost and tend to be over ordered and not used. From time to time printers and photocopiers are replaced or become redundant. These machines may still have a life and tone or ink, which would normally get treated as waste. The waste and WEEE process has a cost.

The logic:- If the “normal” is an audited fleet of “efficient and effective” printers and photocopiers in all offices and volume student areas, with low cost consumables supplies that easy to obtain through existing channels exist.

Then a virtual pool of unused, unwanted toners and inks can be set up as virtual community on a website to support current machines. People could post their unused resources to a list. If the offer is not taken after a period of time, then the resource may truly be redundant and suitable for donation or recycling.

A tangible pool of used and useable efficient and effective machines, are kept as a pooled resource, this keeps the machine replacement cost low and avoids new orders. Low cost toner or ink must be available and easy to obtain through existing channels. Users of this tangible pool can also access the virtual pool of unused, unwanted toners and inks.

“Efficient and effective” printers and photocopiers needs to be defined as this could be: can double side, Energy star, auto power down/off, still made, common with lots of low cost consumables, etc.

Post consumer recycled paper, ink and toner

On the 5th June 2009, World Environment Day, LSBU became the London Regional Centre of Excellence and the first European Capital City to join the UNESCO RCE network. http://www1.lsbu.ac.uk/efs/conference/RCE_launch.shtml

To coincide with this event, LSBU switched to using 80% post consumer recycled paperin all office functions and 100% post consumer paper on our corporate stationery. The cost difference to move from virgin paper substrates to post-consumer substrates was neutral.

Prior to the 5th June 2009, we were blind-testing both papers with post consumer recycled content around the campuses. The outcome of the blind testing was there were no complaints on the quality of the paper and the paper worked will in all office machines (printers, fax, and photocopiers).

On the 5th June 2009, the announcement of the paper switch over, (and when we activated an auto switch paper function with Office Depot) some users were critical of using this new paper, but most welcomed the change as “Practicing what we teach”.

To celebrate the first year of the LSBU RCE and World Environment Day 2010, we are considering switching branded ink and toner with office depot own brand and remanufactured products, which we are currently doing some cost benefit work on.