SUSTAINABLE INK FOR PRINTERS
Inked into the plan Sustainability is key for many businesses today, and they are looking for energy and resource savings wherever they can find them. The print fleet is no exception, and businesses are looking to the ink they use – and manufacturers have solutions in place.
While sustainability continues to become more of a priority for many businesses in the UK, ways to save energy and resources are being sought as they seek to reduce their carbon footprint. The print fleet is no exception, and many business managers are looking to consumables such as the ink used to boost their sustainability credentials. Indeed, demand for sustainable inks in office printers continues to grow, says Nancy Powell, UK and Ireland sustainability lead at HP. “As we draw nearer to Net Zero, companies are investigating their supply chains and looking for ways reduce waste,” she says. “A large portion of printing waste is tied to printer ink and used ink cartridges where the unfortunate truth is, most of that material waste stems from products that aren’t difficult to recycle. “We have seen a big rise in appetite for more sustainable solutions from customers and increased interest in cyclical recycling programmes, such as HP’s EvoCycle programme, which utilises reusable ink cartridges. The cartridges themselves are made from recycled plastics and to date, HP
have recycled more than 5.8 billion plastic bottles and 149 million plastic hangers to manufacture original ink cartridges.” Nancy adds that environmental concerns are high up on printer businesses’ agendas. “Where traditional solvent-based inks emit hazardous air pollutants, water-based inks are non-toxic, non-hazardous and odourless, so do not require special ventilation as up to 70% of the ink formula is water,” she says. “HP Latex Inks are water-based and meet indoor air quality standards for low chemical emissions during print usage. Water-based inks are 100% recyclable and low emission, which is a huge benefit to print businesses looking to sell to an eco-conscious client. Looking for third party eco-labels and certifications on any ink should verify any sustainability claims.” Taran Rai, corporate sustainability manager at Epson UK, agrees that the demand for sustainable inks in office printers is steadily increasing as businesses and consumers grow more environmentally conscious. “Organisations aiming to reduce their carbon footprint and achieve sustainability
Nancy Powell sustainability lead, UK&I
hp.com
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HP Latex Inks are water-based and meet indoor air quality standards for low chemical emissions during print usage.
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