74 important where waste streams have intrinsic value – here proper segregation of waste or use of specialist contractors that can separate materials can bring cost benefits. “We always encourage printers to approach their waste management strategy in bite-size stages rather than rushing to the end-goal right away and becoming overwhelmed. We can help printers secure the easy wins and increasingly take advantage of the myriad opportunities that are available.” As to how Reconomy can support, Hutton says the company helps printers and other stakeholders in the printing sector assess their waste management strategies, ultimately helping to drive improvements in the sustainability of their operations. A key part of this support, Hutton says, is educating the printing industry about the waste management opportunities that exist and how that interacts with the complex materials to help printing companies get their head around what can be a complex subject matter. “We help companies understand the waste hierarchy of their products and the reality of what happens to their materials,” Hutton says, adding: “From the foundation of a cost/benefit analysis of how printing companies can most efficiently manage their waste – including the materials they can use to minimise waste – we can help create sustainable processes to improve their circularity. This can drive cost-savings and demonstrate their ESG credentials to customers and other parts of the supply chain to build their business.” Environmental Footprint J&G Environmental is another specialist within waste management. Sales and purchasing manager David Hinchley says as consumer consciousness rises, companies are increasingly being judged not just by the quality and cost of their products or services but also by their environmental footprint. “The impact that waste is having on the planet has never been more securitised, from the CO2 emissions effecting the planet’s atmosphere to the increased extractions of natural resources such as oils, which is the base ingredient in new plastics, to trees which make paper,” Hinchley explains, adding: “There is a email: news@printmonthly.co.uk November / December 2023 - Issue 345 huge demand to preserve natural resources to make our present generation more sustainable to protect the planet and future generations. “One key advantage is reducing the amount of recyclable waste materials that are being disposed of into general waste, because a vast amount of this material will end up incinerated or worse still, into landfill. This has a huge environmental impact, if plastics, papers, and metals end up in landfill they are then taken out of the circular economy forever, and it is a precious natural resource which is lost.” Hinchley goes on to say that disposal rates are increasing year-on-year, with 2024 set to be the biggest rise in over 15 years due to pressures to divert as much waste from landfill as possible. He adds that plastics, papers, and metals can be processed and recycled into new materials and products, increasing their life span and preserving resources – a win-win for everyone involved. In terms of cost, Hinchley is keen to dispel myths surrounding the cost of recycling. He says it is not only more sustainable to recycle but it is also more cost effective to do so. “The cost per tonne of sending one tonne of segregated material to a processing facility as opposed to landfill can be as high as 600%,” Hinchley says, adding: “Other factors which have financial benefits include compacting or baling waste to reduce vehicle collections and uplift fees. Along with disposal fees, fuel prices are continuing to rise so as a result the more collections needed, the more the cost to the business.” Hinchley explains J&G Environmental has made substantial investments over the last ten years in order to increase its capabilities to recycle more materials from printers. He adds that J&G has recycling specialists that can offer support and guidance on how to identify and segregate recyclable materials. “Once identified, we offer a wide range of equipment to pack the waste and increase weights and therefore increase space on a printer’s premises, but also reduce the amount of collections needed,” Best-in-class recycling is no longer a ‘tick box exercise’, but core to attracting and retaining customers down the sales funnel and across the supply chain It is estimated that around 90% of the materials used around the world are virgin 90% NEED TO KNOW / RECYCLING J&G Environmental employs recycling specialists to offer support and guidance on how to identify and segregate recyclable materials Factoid ▼ Reconomy works with printers to assess their waste management strategies and help drive sustainability improvements
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