Colour Innovations sets the bar for continuous improvement in sustainable printing practices

Colour Innovations, a Toronto-based lithographic printing company, is setting an example in the industrial printing sector by adopting low-impact environmental solutions to its pre-press and pressroom processes.

Aware of increased public demand for accountability on environmental issues and the printing sector’s vulnerability to impending regulatory scrutiny, Colour Innovations became pro-active at an early stage of its existence to become an environmental leader in its industry. Colour Innovations’ successful business operations also demonstrate that lowering environmental impact need not hurt the financial bottom line.

In 1997, Colour Innovations became the first EcoLogo ECP-58-94 certified printer in Ontario, which recognizes the company’s commitment to sound environmental performance on various fronts. The company is also a certified Rainforest Alliance SmartWood Chain-of-Custody printer, and offers its clients the option to use FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper. These standards ensure clients that Colour Innovations’ FSC paper is produced in an environmentally sustainable manner from the time trees are harvested through final product delivery to their facility.

Pollution prevention activities are another important aspect of Colour Innovations’ leadership in sustainable printing practices. By participating in the Toronto Region Sustainability Program, Colour Innovations has found more ways to reduce pollution from its facility, further demonstrating management’s commitment to continuous improvement. As a result of the pollution prevention assessment conducted by Mr. John Piggott of EcoSafe environmental health & safety management, Colour Innovations has employed a number of solutions that reduce its output of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), hazardous wastes, and process wastes.

In the pressroom, installation of a hollow tube ultra-filtration system has resulted in ninety percent recovery of fountain solution and solvents, reduction of VOC emissions by three tonnes per year, reduction of process wastes by 15 tonnes per year, and annual cost savings of $13,000.

By reconfiguring the existing blanket wash distillation unit, Colour Innovations has achieved a further 85% reduction and recovery of solvents for reuse, eliminating 15 tonnes of hazardous waste annually and saving $9,000 a year.

Full implementation of all solutions outlined in the pollution prevention assessment are projected to reduce 6.5 tonnes of VOCs, 15 tonnes of hazardous waste and 15 tonnes of process waste annually, with an overall payback of 9 months.

A full case study about Colour Innovations' particpation in the TRSP will be available on the program website in the very near future at www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS/studies.htm#Printing.

Colour Innovations' website can be viewed at www.colourinnovations.com.

For more information on the Toronto Region Sustainability Program visit www.oceta.on.ca/TORSUS.