Labels for printing

As yet there is no lifecycle-based label for printed products in the UK, but an EU Eco-label is in preparation. You can find the draft for this on the Eco-label website by following the link to 'Technical documents'.

The FSC and PEFC logos can be used on printed products when full chain of custody is in place - the printer must be included in this chain, either through having chain of custody certification themselves, or as an outworker managed within the scope of certification of the owner of the paper - for example, a publisher. Printing onto the relevant paper is not enough!

ISO 14001 and EMAS are often confused with environmental labels, but are actually something quite different. They are certified (or, in the case of EMAS, verified) environmental management systems, and are evidence of the way the holder is carrying out their operations, not of specific performance levels. Both require auditing by third party assessors.

Carbon labelling can also be used on printed products - and there is further information in the pages about energy efficiency.

PAS 75 is a fairly new Publicly Available Specification from BSI. It's full title is PAS 75:2005: Specification for the service and provision of printing services, and it was developed in co-operation with the BPIF. The specification is not for an environmental management system, but does include environmental management as part of the requirements, along with business planning, information security, occupational health & safety, financial management, management culture, administration, estimating & invoicing, print production & service delivery, delivery of product, service quality, colour management and training provision.

A fairly recent addition, launched this year, is a Publicly Available Specification for Direct marketing - Environmental performance, Pas 2020. While this, again, is not specifically just for print, it does involve the printed elements. PAS 2020 is described in the section on EMS & best practice.