Print and The Environment Factsheet

The UK is the world’s fifth largest producer of print, with over 10,000 companies turning over £14.3 billion. Like other large industries, printing has been associated with pollution and waste due to its use of inks, chemicals and water, and high consumption of raw materials – mainly paper. Many people in the industry are working hard with manufacturers, suppliers, regulators and consumers to improve its overall environmental impact.

This fact sheet will show you what the main issues are, how they are being addressed, and what you as users and buyers can do to make sure print becomes, and remains, a responsible and sustainable communication medium.

Printing in the UK can roughly be broken down into two distinct categories – litho (sometimes called offset), and digital.