DESIGN FOR RECYCLABILITY THE PAPERGUIDE

DESIGN FOR RECYCLABILITY THE PAPERGUIDE

Once the renewable paper fibre is recycled, we strengthen its competitiveness and contribute to a circular economy. Andreas Boo, CEO, Pressretur

Together we are creating a circular society The Swedish people are world class in terms of paper recycling. We have already exceeded the national targets that represent a material utilisation rate for newspapers of at least 90 percent. Together, we are contributing to the creation of a circular society. Papperskretsen s mission is to maintain a high collection and recycling rate of printed matter. It should be easy to do this right. Along with Papperskretsen s owners and members, this guide has been produced to help those who design, produce or buy paper products, to make smarter design and material choices. As a designer or producer of printed matter, you often have a clear idea of how the final result will look. What you may not be aware of are the choices you can make to increase the recyclability of the printed matter. This guide will explain the process of how printed matter is created and the choices you can make to give the product the highest recyclability possible. Our hope is that this guide will help you to make smarter choices throughout the design and printing process for the sake of recycling and the environment. The higher the recyclability, the more times the printed matter can be recycled and become a new paper product that can be used again. And again. And again. It is both resource efficient and climate smart thanks to our renewable raw material: fibre from the forest. 3

What does recyclability mean? Recyclability can be defined as how efficient the material utilisation rate is and how much of the recycled material can be separated from the waste stream and reused. According to the Ordinance on Producer Responsibility for Waste Paper (SFS 2014:1074), producers shall take responsibility for waste paper and provide a collection system that does not impair material recycling. 4

What printed matter is affected? This guide's recommendations apply to the printed matter collected through recycling stations or in your property: newspapers, periodicals, catalogues, books, advertising and marketing materials, reports, office products and technical documentation. For a more detailed specification of what is covered, see below! CATEGORIES EXPLANATION Newspapers Daily papers, weekly publications Periodicals Magazines, newsletters Catalogues Product catalogues Books Books with a soft cover or books with a hard covers removed Advertising or marketing materials Direct advertising, brochures, booklets, posters Reports Annual reports, quarterly reports Office products Stationary, notebooks without cover, printer paper Technical documentation Manuals, guides, instructions 5

From printed matter to pulp Once the printed matter has been left at a recycling station, it is transported to the paper mill for recycling into pulp that can be made into new paper products. It is in the recycling process at the paper mill that the recyclability of the printed matter is put to the test. The recycling process begins with the separation of unwanted materials. Then the paper is dissolved to a pulp that passes through a coarse cleaning separating debris and larger garbage materials. After that, the pulp enters a de-inking process, where the printing ink is removed from the fibres by adding a detergent to the pulp. It is during the de-inking process that the choices made during the design and print process, determine the degree to which the printed matter can be recycled. The soap washes off colour, lacquer and ink from the paper fibres. Subsequently, what has been washed off the fibres is separated from the pulp by bubbling it up to the surface through a process known as flotation. After flotation, the pulp goes through another cleaning step before once again becoming a new paper product. In order to achieve the highest recyclability possible in the de-inking process, follow the recommendations set out on the following pages. 6

A paper fibre can be recycled up to seven times! Virgin fibre from the forest is added to the recycled fibre pulp THE PRINTED MATTER BECOMES PULP THE PULP BECOMES PAPER THE PRINTED MATTER IS LEFT FOR RECYCLING RECYCLING GIVES THE PAPER SEVEN LIVES THE PAPER IS DESIGNED FOR PRINTING THE CONSUMER USES THE PRINTED MATTER The recyclability is largely determined by the choices made during the printing process 7

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Design for recyclability Most choices that influence the printed matter s recyclability are made at the drawing board and the printing works. Choices made include printing ink, lacquer, ink, glue, foil and binding, depending on the desired appearance of the printed material. 9

Printing ink, lacquer and ink The best way to achieve high recyclability is to choose printing ink, lacquer and ink that is vegetable or mineral oil-based. The important thing is to use printing ink, lacquer and ink that are easy to de-ink which solvent-based inks are. Water-based printing ink, lacquer and ink should be avoided! Glue It is best to avoid the use of glue. If glue is necessary, use a water-based glue. Glue from plastic does not dissolve and impairs the recyclability. Foil stamping Many covers on printed matter are foil stamped which involves covering the paper surface with another material. This gives the paper different characteristics. Avoid foil stamping to increase the recyclability of the product. This is because foil-stamped paper cannot be recycled but is burned instead. The residue then goes to landfill. 10

Covers Hardback covers impair the recycling process because they cannot be dissolved during the recycling process. When printing a book, choose a soft cover (as used on a paperback book). Binding The best binding options are water-soluble glue, spirals or stapling with metal staples. Metal can be separated during the recycling process using magnets. Accessories Avoid the use of accessories with printed matter, such as plastic covers, toys, DVDs and make-up (for example with magazines), to increase the product s recyclability. Mixing plastic or other materials with paper impairs the recycling process. 11

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Checklist choices for increased recyclability RECOMMENDED AVOID PRINTING INK, LACQUER AND INK Vegetable based Mineral oil-based Water based Vegetable-based printing ink, lacquer and ink are easy to de-ink Mineral oil-based printing ink, lacquer and ink are easy to de-ink Water-based printing ink, lacquer and ink dissolve directly into the pulp that is made into recycled paper and cannot be de-inked or separated FOIL STAMPING Foil-stamped covers or paper GLUE Water-soluble glue Glue from plastic COVERS Soft cover Hard cover BINDING Stapling Water-soluble glue dissolves easily during the recycling process A soft cover does not need to be separated before the recycling process Staples or spirals made of metal can be separated during the recycling process using magnets Foil-stamped covers or paper cannot be separated and are sent to a landfill or are burned Glue from plastic cannot be dissolved and impairs the recycling process Printed matter with a hard cover will only be recycled if the cover has been separated before the recycling process ACCESSORIES Toys, DVDs, makeup Plastic film Impairs the recycling process Impairs the recycling process 13

Certification and recyclability In this guide, we show you how to achieve optimal recyclability. In addition to this guide, there are various certifications for printing works and individual printed matter that ensure high recyclability and environmental friendliness. A certification is also a practical tool, which facilitates the work through specific guidance. The Nordic Swan is the official Nordic ecolabel and the most well-known ecolabel on the market. The Nordic Swan ecolabel looks at the entire printing works and not just the individual printed materials. In this way, the Nordic Swan can better contribute to an improved working environment, lower emissions and lessen impact on the climate and, last but not least, improve recyclability. A Nordic Swan eco-labelled printing works is one that fulfils stringent environmental requirements and that has received a Nordic Swan license for the production of printed matter. Nordic Swan eco-labelled printed matter, such as a newspaper, magazine, brochure or book, is printed matter with a good environmental profile. The EU Flower is a European Ecolabel, established in 1992, on behalf of the EU Commission, to create a common European Ecolabel. Requirements for labelling have been drawn up by responsible bodies in EU member countries. The work is carried out on behalf of the European Commission. The EU Flower works in the same way as the Swan. Miljömärkning Sverige AB are responsible for the EU Flower in Sweden. Read more at: www.svanen.se/en/ Vara-tva-markningar/EU-Ecolabel/ Read more at: www.svanen.se/en/criteria/ 14

About Papperskretsen Papperskretsen was started in 2007 with the aim of jointly promoting increased recycling of newspapers and printed matter in Sweden. Companies that are part of Papperskretsen are producers responsible for the collection and disposal of their products in an environmentally-friendly manner. Producer responsibility has greatly contributed to the increase in paper collection, and we can be proud of the statistics that show that the recycling of newspapers and paper materials is something we Swedes have really taken to heart. Our vision is to be a key participant in the work that enables and creates the circular society of the future, a society that is already beginning to take shape. This guide is one part of our work.

PappersKretsen papperskretsen.se Pressretur AB Box 1176 SE -171 23 Solna