The themes from the speakers at the Printing and the Environment conference at the last Drupa were reassuringly consistent. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, has changed by the next Drupa in 2012.

Common themes were energy saving, which was certainly reflected within the main exhibition with measures taken by leading manufacturers, the need for collaborative working, and the mantra of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’.

Speakers were from:

• Printing Industries of America/Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (USA) - Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
• Printing Technology Association of China - 'harmonious printing'
• Japan Federation of Printing Industries - Green Printing initiative
• Intergraf - European legislation
• CEPI - Confederation of European Paper Industries

The slides used at the conference are available from WPCF website.

After the Chairman’s welcome, the first speaker was Eike Fruehbrodt from Heidelberg, who supported the event, discussing machine manufacturers’ contribution to the environmental performance of printers. He explained the mass balance carried out by his company to determine resources used and wastes and emissions generated by a press during its use: this has informed developments in their ‘Star’ range of peripherals.

The presentation took us through an overview of what goes into a typical sheetfed machine in production – a Speedmaster XL 105-6+L running 36 million sheets per year, 8000 sheets per job, 18 jobs per day was taken to illustrate this – and what goes out. He showed us totals for paper, energy, ink, alcohol, washing solvent, water and spray powder used, and waste paper, ink residues, VOC emissions, waste water and spray powder emissions. He then considered each in greater detail, describing where the areas of highest waste or consumption are, and what Heidelberg are doing to help reduce this. Energy consumption, for example, is highest in the dryer – 35% of the total – closely followed by the main drive at 26%, then the air supply at 19%, with temperature control using 8%, the compressor 1% and ‘others’ using the remaining 11%. Knowing this gives focus on where to look to save energy: for example, recycling heat in the drying system and reducing the gap between the dryer and the sheet. The same principle applies to other areas: knowing where the waste is created, knowing how it is created, and so having the knowledge necessary to take steps to reduce it.