| Sheet feed offset |
Effect – are the requirements effective? |
Can the company meet the requirements? |
| Paper fulfils eco-label criteria |
For the most part, of the paper normally used meets the environmental label criteria. The effect may therefore be minimal, as pretty much the same paper qualities are used whether
the printed matter is Swan labelled or not. |
Yes |
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| Page production |
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| Collection of photographic chemicals and hazardous waste |
Legislative requirement in DK |
Yes |
| Silver in rinsing solution max. 10 mg/m² |
By far the majority of licence owners in DK have decided to install equipment for recirculating rinsing solution. Used rinsing solution is sent for controlled destruction. Discharge is thus 0 mg silver/m². The requirement has thus had the effect that the volume of discharged wastewater (and thus also silver) from film developing has been reduced in DK. |
The requirement to measure mg silver per m² is difficult to control for individual printed matter. |
| Rinsing solution treatment |
See above |
See above |
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| Form production |
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| Collection of hazardous waste |
Legislative requirement |
Yes |
| No silver-based plates for making traditional plates (wet offset). |
Not used in practice as traditional plates. Therefore no effect. |
Yes |
| Silver-based plates for making CtP plates. Silver in rinsing solution max. 10 mg/m² |
It is normal practice that rinsing solution used for making CtP plates is recirculated and destroyed. Therefore the requirement has no effect. |
Yes |
| No solvent-based agents for making traditional plates (wet offset) and CtP plates. |
Not used in practice. Therefore no effect. |
Yes |
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| Printing incl. cleaning |
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| Inks |
Reward for vegetable inks has had the effect that several printing companies have been motivated to use vegetable inks. |
Yes |
| Max limits on washing, max. 3.6 litre/ton paper |
Has increased focus on the area, but has not had the desired effect, as the method of calculation is not significant for the company’s consumption. The use of washing agents does not depend on the volume of paper used (in tons), but on a number of other parameters. In fact companies, which use high gram weights, are rewarded (a large volume of paper gives a better key figure). |
In practice cannot be controlled per individual printed matter. |
| Max limits on alcohol, max. 6 kg/tonnes |
Has increased focus on the area, but has not had the desired effect, as the method of calculation is not significant for the company’s consumption. The use of alcohol does not depend on the volume of paper used (in tons), but on a number of other parameters. In fact companies, which use high gram weights, are rewarded (a large volume of paper gives a better key figure). |
In practice cannot be controlled per individual printed matter. |
| Inks, washing agents etc. Are collected for destruction or recycling. |
Legislative requirement |
Yes |
| Wash or energy recovery of cloths |
Normal practice in DK is that cloths are washed (by specialist companies) and reused. The requirement has no effect in DK. |
Yes |
| Treatment of waste washing water |
Has meant that large volumes of water are sent for destruction instead of being discharged into the public wastewater system. However, it has not really been established which method of disposal is the least environmentally damaging: transport and destruction or discharge into the public wastewater system. Assessment suggests that it depends on the particular water treatment plant in the locality. |
Yes |
| Damping solutions |
Has minimised the consumption of damping solution concentrates containing tensides, which are not readily biodegradable. |
Yes |
| Treatment of waste damping solution |
Has meant that large volumes of water have been sent for destruction, without it being established what is the least environmentally damaging method of disposal: transport and destruction or discharge into the public wastewater system. Assessment suggests that it depends on the particular water treatment plant in the locality. |
Yes |
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| Finishing |
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| Wash or energy recovery of cloths and rags |
Normal practice in DK is that cloths are washed (by specialist companies) and reused. The requirement has no effect in DK. |
Yes |
| Lamination |
Only a minimal effect. |
Yes |
| Self-adhesive non-water soluble adhesives not allowed |
Only a minimal effect. |
Yes |
| Lacquering |
Only a minimal effect. |
Yes |
| Adhesives |
Only a minimal effect. |
Yes |
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| Production requirements |
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| Washing agents, damping solution concentrates, damping solution additives and algecides, printing ink, overprint varnish, toner, adhesive, lacquer and laminate must not contain phthalates, nonylphenols (or derivatives of these), ethylene glycol ethers (Cas: 111-77-3, 111-90-0, 109-86-4, 110-80-5) or halogenated hydrocarbons |
Not possible to evaluate |
Yes |
| Aromatic content of washing agents must be below 1%. Exception: 2% of total consumption may contain max. 50% aromates. |
Has partially phased out the use of washing agents with a vapour pressure over 5 kPa.
Has phased out the use of washing agents with an aromatic content over 1%. However, it should be noted that these products were previously only used in limited volumes. |
Yes |
| Biocides in damping solution must not be potentially bioaccumulable |
Not possible to evaluate |
Yes |
| Printing ink, overprint varnish, toner, adhesive, lacquer and laminate must not contain a total of more than 2% by weight of substances classified as environmentally hazardous in accordance with EU Directive 67/548/EEC… |
Not possible to evaluate |
Yes |
| Pigments in printing ink/toner must not be based on heavy metals, aluminium or copper. Exception: copper phthalatocyanine. |
Not normal practice. Therefore only a limited effect. |
Yes |
| The content of the following heavy metals in printing inks, toners or ink must not exceed a total of 100 ppm: Lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium |
Not normal practice. Therefore only a limited effect. |
Yes |
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| Waste management requirements |
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| Cutting waste less than 20% |
Only a minimal effect. Cutting waste, whether for printed matter with the Swan label or without it is under 20%, as companies try to use paper optimally for financial reasons. |
Yes |
| Waste man. plan incl. sorting and handling |
Provides a good overview. However, has only a minimal effect.
Sorting is a legal requirement in DK. |
Yes |
| The licence-holder is required to sort and handle for processing of electronic waste |
Legislative requirement |
Yes |
| Aluminium printing plates and waste paper from production must be submitted for recycling |
No effect. The plates are sent for recycling, whether the company has a Swan label licence or not, as they have a not inconsiderable value (approx. 1 euro/kg). |
Yes |