Printing - Offset | Ecology Center

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Founded in 1970, the Ecology Center serves one purpose: protecting healthy people and a healthy planet. We believe that the central question of our time is how human beings are going to thrive in the world without destroying the earth's ability to sustain us. This can only be achieved with your support.

Proposed procurement goals:

Track and reduce paper use by 30% by a certain time
- Tools: Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator
Require printing services to be purchased from companies participating in Printing Industry Midwest’s Great Green Printer initiative or certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership
Require printing services to assure:
- 100% of purchased paper is recycled as the municipal standard for printing and copying
- 100% of office supplies meet US EPA's federal comprehensive procurement guidelines
- 100% of purchased paper contains at least 50% post-consumer recycled content
  - Note: When specifying levels of recycled content, the minimum post-consumer recycled content cited should not be lower than EPA's Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines
- 100% of of purchased paper is processed chlorine-free (PCF) paper
- 100% of of purchased non-recycled content paper is certified by Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- 100% of of purchased paper is acid-free
- 100% of lithographic inks are water- or vegetable-based
- 100% of vendors meet the UL EcoLogo Certification Criteria for Lithographic Printing Services (UL 2803)
- Require disclosure of PFAS in all products considered for purchase: Michigan Executive Directive 2021-8. Reducing State Purchases of Products Containing Intentionally Added PFAS

Case studies and resources:

Northeast Recycling Council’s (NERC) Model Specifications and Purchasing Guidelines for Environmentally Preferable Purchasing of Copy and Multipurpose paper
New York’s Executive Order No. 4 requires that all printed publications (magazines, booklets, pamphlets, brochures, envelopes, letterheads, business cards, and forms) be printed on 100% post-consumer recycled content paper. Where paper with 100% post-consumer recycled content is not available or does not meet the required form, function and utility, paper procurements shall use post-consumer recycled content to the extent practicable. Non-recycled content shall be derived from a sustainably- managed renewable resource and certified as such through an appropriate third-party certification program recognized by the paper industry, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) to the extent practicable unless the cost of the product is not competitive. Entities are encouraged to print publications and other printed items on processed chlorine free (PCF) paper to the maximum extent practicable.