How China's Green Printing Standard Was Built: Framework, Drafting Timeline and the Problems It Targets

(I) Principles and Framework Behind China's Printing Environmental Standards

Green printing is still a fairly new undertaking on the ground in China. The drafting philosophy has been to study the experience and practices of developed countries while factoring in domestic realities, so that the standards, monitoring methods and supporting measures fit China's national conditions.

The guiding principles are: uphold the scientific outlook on development, safeguard consumers' rights and interests, and stay true to a people-oriented purpose; give full weight to China's actual circumstances while drawing on and absorbing foreign standards; improve the environmental requirements for all categories of printed matter step by step and steadily widen the scope of application for labeled products — thereby driving structural adjustment and technological upgrading across the printing industry and reaching or approaching developed-country levels within a comparatively short period.

Framework: the environmental standards for printed products serve as both the starting point and the ultimate destination of the whole system. Formulating environmental standards for printed matter spans the heavy metal content of finished products, requirements on materials, auxiliary materials and processing techniques, plus the prepress, press and postpress stages, materials handling, the discharge of wastewater (including various chemical solutions and blanket wash), waste (cleaning rags, PS plates) and exhaust gas, and the recycling of finished products. The standards also set out the qualifications required of inspection bodies and the inspection methods to be applied.

Making and enforcing the standards is a government-led process — that is, the government issues the standards and the concrete implementation measures. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and the General Administration of Press and Publication jointly signed a strategic cooperation agreement on carrying out green printing, and, with the Printing Technology Association of China taking the lead, a dedicated "China Printing Industry Green Printing Promotion Office" (the "Green Office") was established to handle related research, drafting of standards, publicity and promotion, and to take an active role in the Ministry of Environmental Protection's formulation and promotion of green printing standards.

(II) Steps and Progress in Formulating the Technical Standard for Printing Environmental Labeling Products

A standards kick-off meeting took place in June and July 2009, where the drafting group was formed and the direction, scope of application and reference basis for the standards were settled.

Between July 2009 and March 2010, the drafting group arranged for experts to conduct on-site research in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Jinan, which culminated in a draft of the standards.

In February 2010, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the General Administration of Press and Publication met in Beijing to discuss green printing and the printing environmental labeling standard, exploring what implementing the standard would signify and how it would affect society.

In March 2010, a joint meeting of the drafting group and the expert group granted the draft standard approval in principle and put forward suggestions for revision.

From May 12 to 14, 2010, the Environmental Certification Center of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and the Printing Technology Association of China gathered industry experts and technical specialists from 34 participating and co-drafting enterprises — Heshan Astros, Chung Hwa Book Co. (Hong Kong), Junsi Group, Aipai Group, Tianjin Toyo, Fuji Xingguang, Gold East Paper, Wende Xiangchuan, Heidelberg [product news space], Shanghai Meiji, China Banknote Credit Card, Shanghai Yanyin, Changde Jinpeng, Shanghai Zijiang Color Printing, Zhejiang Dongxiang New Orient, Jiangsu Caihua, Wuhan Hongjinlong, Shenzhen Jinjia, Guan Xingyu China Banknote Special Anti-counterfeiting, Dongtian Transfer Printing, Xinjin Tuozhan, Zhuhai Letong, Zhongshan Songde, Yuncheng Plate-making, Shaanxi Beiren, Guangzhou Tongze, UPM, Donggang Security Printing, Xi'an Xizheng, Shanghai Yinuoer, Shanghai Taiyo Machinery, Beijing Zhongyin Zhoujin Technology, Guangdong Guanhao, Sichuan Xincai, Zhejiang Mozhihua, Yichang Dachang and Fujian Hongbo — to revise and confirm the standard clause by clause, sentence by sentence and word by word. The resulting draft for public comment was then reported to the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Following thorough additional research and repeated revisions between June and August, the draft for public comment was issued by the Ministry of Environmental Protection in September 2010 to solicit opinions from across society; in mid- and late September of the same year, technical verification was also carried out with the relevant participating enterprises. The standard is expected to be promulgated and implemented by the Ministry of Environmental Protection by the end of the year.

(III) The Main Problems the Standard Is Designed to Address

1. The solvent pollution problem. Solvent-based inks require the addition of substantial amounts of solvent when they go on press, and printing companies in China generally do not consider solvent recovery during printing, which results in relatively serious volatile organic compound pollution;
2. The environmental problem posed by inks. The environmental impact of inks is gradually attracting attention; because China lacks effective environmental regulations, there is no basis for judgment when selecting and using ink products, which leads to harmful residues in printed matter;

— This article is reposted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-362162.html