As environmental concerns grow in popularity, we feel it is worth noting that we have been using renewable source products and recycling waste streams for over a quarter of a century. Prior to local and state regulations, we were voluntary in our recycling program with film, plates, chemistry, ink, and paper waste. We continue that today excluding the film and chemicals involved with the analog process removed in late 2006.
On the purchasing side of the equation we pay close attention to the raw materials we purchase. We only use inks that meet the Vegetable Ink Printing Act of 1994, that all contain 20% or greater of vegetable oil, and represents the current standard.
In the last decade the papermaking business has truly become a global business with a substantial amount of the paper consumed in the United States being manufactured outside of our boarders. We rely on both regional and national distributors representing global paper manufactures to provide responsible resources that include certified papers through the following organizations.
PEFC http://www.pefc.org
SFI http://www.sfiprogram.org/
These groups embrace a sustainable approach that indicates you are buying wood and paper products from well-managed forests, backed by a rigorous, third-party certification audit.
Most commercial grade papers made today use an alkaline or PH neutral process (acid free) that address the acidic based papers concerns of the past. Many of the same sheets use Elemental Chlorine Free as part of the whitening process that is an environmentally friendly process. There are many premium sheets available that contain a percentage of post consumer recycled paper. We also use premium grade Glatfelter trade book offset that meets ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992 (R2002)ISSN: 1041-5653 Permanence of Paper for Publications and Documents in Libraries and Archives for the most discerning customers.