Printing business waste reduction

Digital printing offers a number of advantages over traditional printing for direct marketing because the minimum print run is one and the mailings can be personalised easily. However, direct mail can have environmental consequences on procurement and marketing choices.

Direct marketing standard

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) has launched the PAS 2020 standard to provide businesses with the tools they need to create an environmentally friendly direct marketing campaign. PAS 2020 has been launched in response to pressure for the direct-marketing industry to take a more environmentally responsible and sustainable approach to its activities.

It focuses on establishing a set of environmental objectives, performance levels and indicators for different environmental aspects of a direct-marketing campaign. The indicators provide an indirect measure of a direct-marketing campaign's environmental impact.

If your business is involved with direct marketing, you can improve your environmental performance, and demonstrate this to your stakeholders by meeting the requirements of PAS 2020.

Envelopes and laminates

Envelope windows and laminates cannot usually be recycled, and some paper mills will reject them. You should encourage clients to avoid plastic laminates and windows and inform them of the alternatives. A recyclable laminate 'Cellogreen' and cellulose labels are now available.