Materials can come direct from printers such as offcuts and scrap, from suppliers that may collect and bale the waste, or direct from the end user.
FESPA UK and Reconomy say scheme is starting to have a significant impact, with one UK supermarket chain now being able to recycle an estimated 346 tonnes of used banner waste, equivalent to 2,175 1,100 litre wheelie bins.
“By providing a visual representation for the companies involved in the scheme we can show they are being responsible for the waste they produce or manage,” FESPA UK managing director Suzi Wilkinson says.
We hope to make the conversation about the cost of waste management easier, and hopefully we will start to encourage more sustainable waste management across the sector”
“We hope to make the conversation about the cost of waste management easier, and hopefully we will start to encourage more sustainable waste management across the sector.
“So many printers display awards or ISO certifications on their website and email footers, well now they will be able to show that they are making real lasting changes to the way the sector’s waste is managed and that will have a positive impact on their business and the environment.”
Reconomy chief financial officer John Sullivan adds: “Our mission is to develop a national infrastructure of solutions that enables all graphics media, no matter the volume, from only being collected and treated as wastes to being readily recyclable.
“This is a huge goal, and a journey that requires collective action throughout the industry to make it happen. And it may be a five-year journey, to create a truly sustainable situation that has been embraced by the industry, where pre- and post-consumer graphics waste producers choose recycling as the preferred treatment route.”