Printing business energy efficiency
Managing printing business environmental impact
Taking a systematic approach is the most effective way for printing businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
Businesses in the printing industry have major opportunities to reduce their environmental impact and cut costs. The most effective way to do this is through taking a systematic approach - for example, by setting up a formal environmental management system (EMS) and having it certified to the ISO 14001 standard or verified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
If you don't have the time or resources to set up an EMS, you could take a less formal approach by:
- reviewing your environmental performance and making sure that you comply with all relevant environmental legislation
- deciding on priority issues
- creating an action plan of what you're going to do, who is going to do it and when they should do it
- setting targets and objectives
- reviewing your performance and making improvements
For more information, see how to carry out an environmental review of your business.
Before you start, you should make sure you have the commitment of senior management. You should also consider appointing an environmental champion or an environmental team.
Effective management can reduce the environmental impact of:
- solvents
- waste streams such as paper, other substrates and packaging
- energy use
- water use
- transport
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Printing business energy efficiency
How businesses in the printing industry can take steps to reduce their energy use and save money by cutting costs.
There are several ways printing businesses can reduce energy use. You should check whether machines can automatically go on stand-by when they're not used for a period of time and make sure this is activated. Where appropriate, switch off machines completely when they are not in use for long periods, such as overnight or at weekends.
You should also factor energy costs into purchasing decisions. Consider the following:
- when you buy a new machine, choose the most energy-efficient model that meets your production requirements; compare the energy consumption in production, idle and sleep modes
- ensure that machines are set up and operated according to the manufacturer's recommendations on energy efficiency and ensure all users know the correct settings
- consider whether the machine can be turned off manually at night or whether you could use a plug-in timer?
- estimate the energy cost per copy and per week, given your operating hours and projected copy volumes, and factor this into your purchasing decisions
You can also cut energy costs by:
- ensuring staff turn off lights when they're not needed
- unplugging or switching off chargers, eg for mobile telephones and cameras - when they're not in use
- using plug sockets that can turn off multiple items with only one switch
- installing localised lighting controls, eg pull switches above workstations and timer switches - or movement detectors in infrequently occupied areas, eg washrooms and coffee areas
- installing insulation for doors, windows, roofs and walls
Energy Star
The Energy Star logo means that the energy consumption of an appliance - eg computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and imaging equipment - is below an agreed level when in standby mode. Consider buying office and imaging products that have the logo as they use up to 60 per cent less electricity than standard equipment.
Cooling and heating your premises
Most papers don't need environmental control where the air temperature is above 12°C, although you may need some form of enhanced ventilation when machines are operated in enclosed areas. Consider alternatives to air conditioning such as natural ventilation, extraction fans and adiabatic cooling systems.
If you have air conditioning systems, use them efficiently and get them inspected regularly.
You should also ensure heaters are energy efficient and serviced at least annually. Ensure you can control heaters locally.
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Printing business water efficiency
How businesses in the printing industry can cut water costs while maintaining quality and productivity.
All printing businesses can reduce water use. This can enable you to benefit from lower costs of both buying water and of disposing and treating wastewater and effluent.
You can benefit from filtering and reusing water used in washing machines and similar applications. Litho printers in particular can benefit from converting machines to waterless printing. This can save thousands of litres of water a year by eliminating the dampening system used in conventional litho printing.
What is waterless printing?
Waterless printing involves either installing a dedicated digital imaging system or converting a conventional litho press. Conversion involves removing the dampening system and resetting or replacing some of the ink train rollers and blankets. Depending on typical print runs, you may also need to install equipment to control temperature and humidity in the press room and to experiment with different inks and papers.
The benefits of waterless printing can be considerable, including:
- substantial savings in water use and effluent disposal
- improved print quality
- shorter make-ready
- significantly reduced solvent emissions
- less paper and substrate wastage
You can reduce water use by up to 60 per cent in washrooms through relatively simple measures, for example:
- fitting push-button taps on wash basins
- fitting automatic flushes on urinals
- installing 'hippo bags' in water cisterns
- regularly checking for and repairing leaks and dripping taps
For more information, see how to save water at commercial premises.
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Printing business transport efficiency
Reducing transport use can have major cost and environmental benefits for businesses in the printing industry.
Vehicle use has significant environmental impacts:
- cars, vans and lorries use petrol, oil and diesel which are from non-renewable resources
- vehicle engines release carbon dioxide (associated with climate change), sulphur dioxide (associated with acid rain) and nitrous oxides (associated with air pollution)
- traffic congestion increases noise and affects communities
Using transport efficiently can reduce the environmental impact of your printing business. It can also cut the amount of money and tax you pay on transport.
If you operate your own vehicles, you should introduce a fleet management process and consider:
- optimising delivery routes to reduce mileage
- converting your vehicles so they can take cleaner fuel or opting for dual-fuel vehicles
- using electric vehicles in urban areas
- organising sales teams by geographical area rather than as customer account teams to reduce vehicle use
- using your own vans to pick up staff for work
- using couriers to deliver one-off jobs if your own transport would not be environmentally efficient
Workplace travel
Introducing a workplace travel plan to manage the travel generated by your business can reduce your environmental impact, as well as offering financial and staff benefits. A travel plan can help you reduce the need for travel and support more sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing and car clubs. For more information, see how to create a workplace travel plan.
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Renewable energy in chemical manufacturing
In this guide:
- Chemical manufacturing resource efficiency
- What is green chemistry?
- Advantages of green chemistry in chemical manufacturing
- Chemical manufacturing environmental performance management
- Chemical manufacturer packaging obligations
- Reducing chemical manufacturing carbon emissions
- Chemical manufacturing energy efficiency
- Renewable energy in chemical manufacturing
- Ten top tips for resource efficiency in chemical manufacturing
What is green chemistry?
Green chemistry is defined by 12 key principles that you can use to evaluate your production processes.
Green chemistry involves applying clean technologies to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances in designing and making chemical products.
The 12 principles of green chemistry
Green chemistry involves 12 principles that have been widely adopted:
- prevention - aim to prevent waste rather than to treat it or clean up after it
- atom economy - incorporate all materials into the final product without unwanted side products
- less hazardous chemical synthesis - where possible, substances should be used and generated that possess little or no toxicity to human health and the environment
- design safer chemicals - chemical products should be designed to do the job while minimising toxicity
- safer solvents and auxiliaries - avoid the use of auxiliary substances (solvents, separation agents, etc) wherever possible and ensure they are harmless when they must be used
- design for energy efficiency - minimise the energy requirements of chemical processes
- use renewable feedstocks - use renewable raw materials whenever technically and economically possible
- reduce derivatives - minimise or avoid unnecessary use of derivatives (blocking groups, protection/de-protection, etc) as they generate waste
- catalysis - catalytic reagents, which can carry out a single reaction many times, are superior to stoichiometric reagents which only work once
- design for degradation - chemical products should be designed to degrade innocuously at the end of their function
- real-time analysis for pollution prevention - analytical methodologies are needed for real-time, in-process monitoring and control prior to the formulation of hazardous substances
- inherently safer chemistry for accident prevention - substances and the form of a substance used in a chemical process should be chosen to minimise the potential for chemical accidents
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Advantages of green chemistry in chemical manufacturing
How you can use green chemistry principles to reduce your use and production of hazardous materials and substances.
If you can produce greener or more sustainable chemicals and chemical products you can reduce their environmental or health impacts and you could reduce your costs.
Green chemistry means designing chemical products and processes that use and produce fewer or no polluting or hazardous materials. For example, you could use green chemistry in developing new catalysts or substitutes for volatile organic compounds used in solvents and adhesives.
It applies across the full life cycle of a chemical. You should think about:
- how you select the raw materials used for manufacture
- how you produce the chemical and the energy used
- the cost of disposing of the chemical and its environmental impacts
- the potential for reuse or recycling the chemical
- whether the chemical should be produced at all
You can find out more about the 12 principles of green chemistry.
Benefits of green chemistry
If you use the principles of green chemistry in your business and apply clean technology, you could improve efficiency, reduce waste and produce safer chemicals for users.
It could also help you comply with existing and future legal requirements and a growing list of restricted substances and materials.
Marketing your improved environmental performance can help you to raise your business' profile and increase sales - see how to market your environmental credentials.
How to apply green chemistry principles
You should use a step-by-step approach to apply the principles of green chemistry. This will enable you to identify any issues and deal with them in a systematic way.
You should:
- review the 12 principles of green chemistry and develop a plan for how you can use them in your business
- assess the chemicals you currently use and manufacture
- identify the potential opportunities from green chemistry
- set up an approach for adopting green chemistry
- gather innovative ideas that could lead to creating products with lower environmental impacts
- integrate green chemistry into your business, perhaps through a documented programme within a wider environmental management system framework
- carry out regular reviews to monitor progress and ensure products and processes you implement lead to environmental improvements
Comply with controls on innovative technology
If you are considering developing or using innovative products or processes, you should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) as early as possible so that they can advise if there is anything you need to do, before you invest any money. You must make sure that you have all the appropriate permits, licences and exemptions in place before you start developing your product or process and trialling activities.
Field trials and testing
If you plan to carry out field trials on your product or process you should contact NIEA.
Using nanotechnology
Nanotechnology, or nanoscience, involves manipulating atoms and molecules to enhance materials or products, for example to create strong lightweight materials. Nanotechnology may be beneficial for product development, but the risks to the environment also need to be managed.
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Chemical manufacturing environmental performance management
How to manage your business' impact on the environment through improved procedures and green chemistry.
Whatever the size of your chemical manufacturing business, it has an impact on the environment. You can take practical steps to manage your environmental performance and save money at the same time. This can help you improve and maintain your reputation and win new business. It can help you communicate to your customers and staff that you comply with legislation, and that you care about your impact on the environment.
Develop a green chemistry programme
You may be able to improve your production processes or products by using green chemistry principles and applying clean technology.
Develop a clear step-by-step approach to applying green chemistry principles.
You may be able to embed these principles within an environmental management system (EMS).
Use an environmental management system
You can use an EMS to help you identify your business' environmental impacts and work out ways to reduce them, for example by using less energy and water, or producing less waste. This can help you to improve your overall efficiency as well as your environmental performance. Your EMS should be appropriate to the type and size of your operations.
For more information on how an EMS can help your business, see environmental management systems (EMS) - the basics.
Report on your environmental performance
Your business can benefit from improving, and reporting on, its environmental performance. For example, reporting will:
- give you information about your current performance, and whether you are complying with legislation
- identify where you could improve your activities, use resources more efficiently and save money
- involve your staff and help increase their environmental awareness
- demonstrate your commitment to improving your environmental performance to your staff, customers and the public
You should focus on how you manage your key environmental impacts, for example carbon emissions, water use and waste management, and document the progress you are making to minimise your impact.
To find out how you can measure and report on your business' environmental performance, see how to produce environmental reports for your business.
Manage your purchases
The goods and services you buy - such as raw materials for your production process, office supplies, and catering, cleaning and utility services - all have an impact on the environment.
You can reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services you buy and could reduce your costs by following green or sustainable procurement principles. Before making any purchase, think about whether you need to buy the product or service at all.
Reduce your resource use
Reducing your waste and use of raw materials can help you improve your environmental performance and make your production more efficient - see resource efficiency tips for chemical manufacturers.
Communicate with your staff
Encourage all your staff to work together to improve the business' environmental performance. The day-to-day actions of your staff can reduce your environmental impact significantly. Ask someone to volunteer at your site as an environmental champion.
Engage with senior management to gain their support for environmental policies.
Raise awareness among staff about your policies, and update them regularly on your progress and what you've achieved to help keep them engaged - see making the case for environmental improvements.
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Chemical manufacturer packaging obligations
The environmental responsibilities your chemical manufacturing business faces if it produces or uses packaging.
Your business may produce or use packaging for chemicals or chemical products that leave your site, such as plastic and glass bottles, steel drums, tins and cardboard. You may also have to deal with packaging waste from the raw materials you receive.
If you place packaging on the market you are responsible for ensuring that it meets environmental standards. If you place large amounts of packaging on the market, you are also responsible for the cost of recovering and recycling a calculated amount of the packaging when it becomes waste, based on the amount you create.
If you produce, fill, supply or handle packaging, the packaging regulations will affect you.
Producing and supplying packaging and packaged products
If your business produces packaged products, imports packaged goods into the UK or places packaging or packaged goods on the market, you must:
- not exceed limits on concentrations of certain heavy metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury in your packaging
- use the minimum packaging necessary
- produce packaging that can be reused, recovered or recycled
- keep records for four years as evidence that you are complying
These requirements are enforced by the Department for the Economy.
See packaging design and use - your environmental responsibilities.
You must also comply with the duty of care for waste.
You must ensure you package and label chemicals correctly under the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations (CHIP) and the European Community Regulation on the Classification, Labelling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures.
Your obligations for packaging waste
If your business handles, manufactures, converts, packs, fills, supplies, leases, hires or imports over 50 tonnes of packaging or packaging materials in a year and has a turnover exceeding £2 million per year, you must:
- register with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), either directly or through a compliance scheme
- pay for the recovery and recycling of a certain amount of packaging waste
- provide the NIEA with evidence that you have met your obligations - if you are a member of a compliance scheme they will do this on your behalf
See packaging producer obligations - who they apply to.
To store any packaging waste before it is recycled you may need an exemption from waste management licensing.
Good practice in packaging
Reuse pallets and packaging materials wherever possible.
Reuse or recycle packaging that you receive with deliveries. For example, you may be able to reuse drums or containers that have been used only for non-hazardous materials.
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Reducing chemical manufacturing carbon emissions
How chemical manufacturing businesses can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
Check if you need a permit or registration
If your business is energy-intensive, for example if you operate a boiler or electricity generator, you must check if you need a greenhouse gas emissions permit and need to trade emissions.
Chemical manufacturing facilities covered by emissions trading legislation include carrying out combustion activities with a total rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts.
Combustion activities include:
- using electricity generators
- using boilers
- using combined heat and power
- incinerating waste (other than hazardous or municipal waste) where the primary purpose is to produce energy
Reduce your climate change levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business, you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill.
Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency. You may be able to claim a discount from the CCL if you have a climate change agreement.
Improve your energy efficiency
You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your energy use - see how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
You can get recognition for measuring and reducing your carbon emissions through the Carbon Trust Standard certification scheme.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
Find out if you could participate in any local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources - see renewable energy regeneration for chemical manufacturing.
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Chemical manufacturing energy efficiency
Energy performance certificates for buildings, and reducing energy use at chemical manufacturing sites.
Chemical manufacturing is an energy-intensive industry. You may be able to save money and reduce your impact on the environment by reducing the amount of energy that your business uses or using renewable sources of energy.
By using less energy you can:
- save money on your fuel bills
- help to combat climate change
- improve your reputation with staff, customers and the public
Get an Energy Performance Certificate
If you sell, let, construct or refurbish a building, you must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate. This includes domestic, commercial and public buildings.
The certificate gives the building an A-G energy efficiency rating and recommends how you can improve the energy rating of the building.
See Energy Performance Certificates for business properties.
Check if you can claim an exemption or discount from the climate change levy
The climate change levy is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the climate change levy applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Your business may be exempt from the climate change levy, or entitled to a discount if you meet energy efficiency targets set out in a climate change agreement.
Trade associations that have negotiated climate change agreements for their members include the Chemical Industries Association.
Smart energy meters
The government is introducing smart electricity and gas meters to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon emissions. Smart meters will mean automatic and accurate billing. They should allow you to monitor live energy consumption and prices to help you use less power at peak times when it is most expensive.
Reduce your energy use
- Review the energy your business uses. Look at your business activities and think of ways that you could save energy.
- Compare the amount of energy that your business uses with industry standards.
- Include targets and ways to reduce energy use in your environmental management system.
- You can get recognition for measuring and reducing your carbon emissions through the Carbon Trust Standard certification scheme.
- Raise awareness among your staff about the cost of energy. Ask them to help you find savings. Get them involved in monitoring energy use.
Energy efficiency tips
You could:
- Monitor how much heat and power your processes use to identify inefficiencies.
- Make your boiler work more efficiently by metering steam flow (energy out) and fuel input (energy in) and adjust the settings if necessary.
- Insulate pipes, valves, tanks and machines that contain steam or hot liquids. This will help to reduce heat loss and could reduce your heating costs.
- Make sure that your motors and pumps are a suitable size for your activities.
- Lubricate your machines regularly to keep them running efficiently.
- Consider using variable speed controls on your motors to minimise energy use.
- Use heat exchangers on hot effluent streams to recycle heat for your processing activities.
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Renewable energy in chemical manufacturing
Renewable energy sources for chemical manufacturers, such as solar, wind and water power and biomass.
Renewable energy is energy generated from natural sources. Microgeneration is small-scale use of natural sources to generate electricity.
Generating renewable energy can save you money and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases your business emits.
Renewable energy sources include:
- water or hydropower
- wind power
- solar power
- wave power
- tidal power
- biomass
- anaerobic digestion
For information about the different sources of renewable energy, see how to generate your own renewable energy.
Financial benefits of microgeneration
There are three potential income streams from microgeneration:
- export tariffs
- feed-in tariffs paid by the government for every kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity generated
- green energy certificates
If you generate more electricity than you need you can sell the extra electricity back to your electricity company. The payments you receive for selling electricity are called export tariffs.
The government has introduced feed-in tariffs across the United Kingdom for both businesses and households for projects up to five megawatts. The government guarantees payment to microgenerators for every kWh of electricity you generate by renewables, including electricity you generate and use yourself.
If you operate a small-scale energy generator you can make your business money by selling green energy certificates to energy suppliers.
There are a number of interest free loans and other incentives available to businesses wishing to develop renewable energy generation.
Planning permission
If you want to build a renewable energy development you must apply for planning permission from the planning service.
Find out how to apply for planning permission.
Renewables in protected areas
If the site you wish to develop is in a conservation or protected area, you must notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Find out if your proposed site is in or near a protected area using the online interactive map.
If your site has archaeological or architectural interest you must inform NIEA.
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Ten top tips for resource efficiency in chemical manufacturing
How chemical manufacturing businesses can reduce their waste and use raw materials more efficiently.
Chemical manufacturers can reduce waste and use raw materials and water more efficiently. These are some starting points to help you minimise resource use and optimise production:
- Improve housekeeping - an untidy factory can lead to mistakes, poor attitudes, accidental damage, out-of-date material and waste.
- Separate waste to reduce costs - cross-contaminating different wastes can lead to waste being disposed of at a higher cost than necessary.
- Recover pump or filter contents and tank washings - in paint manufacturing, once a good system is set up for recovering surpluses it is possible to recover a further 5-20 kilograms of product per batch and reduce solvent used for pump washing at the same time.
- Avoid over-ordering - businesses that make products to order tend to buy more materials than required for the job - even after allowing the standard amount for waste - better control of waste levels enables you to reduce stock wastage.
- Store more liquids in bulk - material requirements can change, but buying and stocking policy often doesn't. This can result in slow-moving liquid materials occupying bulk tank capacity, while higher-volume items are bought in drums. To see if there is a problem, list liquid materials in order of consumption and compare the ten fastest-moving products in drums with the ten slowest-moving bulk products.
- Schedule production - to minimise the need for vessel washing between production batches and reduce the wash frequency.
- Recover or reuse vessel-washing liquors - this can significantly reduce effluent volumes and discharge costs, as well as product loss.
- Reduce wastage from spills and surplus material - use automated filling methods and whole containers.
- Prepare a mass balance - this involves identifying inputs such as raw materials and outputs such as products and waste - it is used to calculate where the greatest resource losses are occurring and thus the potential for improvement.
- Operate and maintain equipment correctly - this is the only way to make real improvements in solvent performance and cost reductions are made only if staff operate and maintain the equipment correctly - using equipment efficiently also reduces energy use.
Using water efficiently can also reduce your costs and impact on the environment - see water use and efficiency in chemical manufacturing.
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Paper manufacturing and renewable energy generation
Paper and cardboard manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
How paper and cardboard producers can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
There are a number of government initiatives to encourage paper and cardboard businesses to use fossil fuels more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include:
- Emissions Trading System (UK ETS)
- climate change levy
- climate change agreements
Find out more about carbon emissions trading and reporting schemes.
Check if the UK ETS applies to you
Paper and cardboard installations are required to reduce CO2 emissions under the UK ETS. You must have a UK ETS permit if your business:
- produces pulp from timber or other fibrous materials in industrial plant
- produces paper and board in an industrial plant that has a production capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day
- carries out combustion installation activities with a rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts
Reduce your Climate Change Levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency.
Your business may be able to take advantage of a climate change agreement made between the Confederation of Paper Industries and the government. This agreement could allow you to claim an 80 per cent discount on your CCL if you achieve agreed targets for improving energy efficiency.
Improve your energy efficiency
The paper industry is an energy-intensive sector. You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your emissions and energy use.
Find out more about how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
You might be able to participate in local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.
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Energy efficiency in paper and cardboard production
How paper and cardboard producers can cut their energy costs and meet Energy Performance Certificate requirements.
Paper and cardboard manufacturing can be energy-intensive. By using less energy you can:
- save money on your fuel bills
- help to combat climate change
- improve your reputation with staff, customers and the public
Get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
If you sell, let, construct or refurbish a building, you must obtain an EPC. This includes domestic, commercial and public buildings.
The certificate gives the building an A-G energy efficiency rating and recommends how you can improve the energy rating of the building.
If you are moving premises you should make sure you receive an EPC for the building from the seller or your landlord. The energy efficiency ratings are standard, so you can compare the energy efficiency of one building with another building of a similar type.
Check if you can claim an exemption or discount from the climate change levy (CCL)
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Your business may be exempt from the CCL, or entitled to a discount, if you meet energy efficiency targets set out in a climate change agreement.
Smart energy meters
The government is introducing smart electricity and gas meters to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon emissions. Smart meters will mean automatic and accurate billing. They should allow you to monitor live energy consumption and prices to help you use less power at peak times when it is most expensive.
Reduce your energy use
You can monitor your energy use on a regular basis by reading meters and relating energy consumption to production levels and building occupancy.
Review the energy your business uses. Look at your business activities and think of ways that you could save energy. Compare the amount of energy that your business uses with industry standards. Your trade association can help you find this information.
Get advice on energy efficient design and technology when you build new facilities or carry out extensions and major upgrades.
Include targets and ways to reduce energy use in your environmental management systems (EMS).
You can get recognition for measuring and reducing your carbon emissions through the Carbon Trust Standard certification scheme.
Raise awareness among your staff about the cost of energy. Ask them to help you find savings. Get them involved in monitoring energy use.
Energy efficiency tips
You could:
- use a combined heat and power plant, as this is the most energy efficient way to produce the required balance of steam and electricity at many paper mills
- recover heat from steam and use it to heat water or dry paper
- recover heat from spent cooling water using heat exchangers
- use high efficiency mechanical dewatering at all stages to reduce the energy required to dry the web
- use heat recovery hoods over paper machines
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Paper manufacturing and renewable energy generation
Renewable energy sources for paper and cardboard producers, such as solar, wind and water power, and biomass.
Renewable energy is generated from natural sources. Microgeneration is small-scale use of natural sources to generate electricity.
Generating renewable energy can save you money and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases your business emits.
Renewable energy sources include:
- water or hydropower
- wind power
- solar power
- wave power
- tidal power
- biomass
- anaerobic digestion
For information about the different sources of renewable energy, see how to generate your own renewable energy.
Planning permission for renewable energy developments
If you want to build a renewable energy development you may need to apply for planning permission from the planning service.
Renewables in protected areas
If the site you wish to develop is in a conservation or protected area, you must notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Find out if your proposed site is in or near a protected area using NIEA's online interactive maps.
If your site has archaeological or architectural interest you must inform NIEA.
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Paper and cardboard manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
Paper and cardboard manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
How paper and cardboard producers can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
There are a number of government initiatives to encourage paper and cardboard businesses to use fossil fuels more efficiently and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These include:
- Emissions Trading System (UK ETS)
- climate change levy
- climate change agreements
Find out more about carbon emissions trading and reporting schemes.
Check if the UK ETS applies to you
Paper and cardboard installations are required to reduce CO2 emissions under the UK ETS. You must have a UK ETS permit if your business:
- produces pulp from timber or other fibrous materials in industrial plant
- produces paper and board in an industrial plant that has a production capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day
- carries out combustion installation activities with a rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts
Reduce your Climate Change Levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency.
Your business may be able to take advantage of a climate change agreement made between the Confederation of Paper Industries and the government. This agreement could allow you to claim an 80 per cent discount on your CCL if you achieve agreed targets for improving energy efficiency.
Improve your energy efficiency
The paper industry is an energy-intensive sector. You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your emissions and energy use.
Find out more about how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
You might be able to participate in local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.
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Energy efficiency in paper and cardboard production
How paper and cardboard producers can cut their energy costs and meet Energy Performance Certificate requirements.
Paper and cardboard manufacturing can be energy-intensive. By using less energy you can:
- save money on your fuel bills
- help to combat climate change
- improve your reputation with staff, customers and the public
Get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
If you sell, let, construct or refurbish a building, you must obtain an EPC. This includes domestic, commercial and public buildings.
The certificate gives the building an A-G energy efficiency rating and recommends how you can improve the energy rating of the building.
If you are moving premises you should make sure you receive an EPC for the building from the seller or your landlord. The energy efficiency ratings are standard, so you can compare the energy efficiency of one building with another building of a similar type.
Check if you can claim an exemption or discount from the climate change levy (CCL)
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Your business may be exempt from the CCL, or entitled to a discount, if you meet energy efficiency targets set out in a climate change agreement.
Smart energy meters
The government is introducing smart electricity and gas meters to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon emissions. Smart meters will mean automatic and accurate billing. They should allow you to monitor live energy consumption and prices to help you use less power at peak times when it is most expensive.
Reduce your energy use
You can monitor your energy use on a regular basis by reading meters and relating energy consumption to production levels and building occupancy.
Review the energy your business uses. Look at your business activities and think of ways that you could save energy. Compare the amount of energy that your business uses with industry standards. Your trade association can help you find this information.
Get advice on energy efficient design and technology when you build new facilities or carry out extensions and major upgrades.
Include targets and ways to reduce energy use in your environmental management systems (EMS).
You can get recognition for measuring and reducing your carbon emissions through the Carbon Trust Standard certification scheme.
Raise awareness among your staff about the cost of energy. Ask them to help you find savings. Get them involved in monitoring energy use.
Energy efficiency tips
You could:
- use a combined heat and power plant, as this is the most energy efficient way to produce the required balance of steam and electricity at many paper mills
- recover heat from steam and use it to heat water or dry paper
- recover heat from spent cooling water using heat exchangers
- use high efficiency mechanical dewatering at all stages to reduce the energy required to dry the web
- use heat recovery hoods over paper machines
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Paper manufacturing and renewable energy generation
Renewable energy sources for paper and cardboard producers, such as solar, wind and water power, and biomass.
Renewable energy is generated from natural sources. Microgeneration is small-scale use of natural sources to generate electricity.
Generating renewable energy can save you money and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases your business emits.
Renewable energy sources include:
- water or hydropower
- wind power
- solar power
- wave power
- tidal power
- biomass
- anaerobic digestion
For information about the different sources of renewable energy, see how to generate your own renewable energy.
Planning permission for renewable energy developments
If you want to build a renewable energy development you may need to apply for planning permission from the planning service.
Renewables in protected areas
If the site you wish to develop is in a conservation or protected area, you must notify the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Find out if your proposed site is in or near a protected area using NIEA's online interactive maps.
If your site has archaeological or architectural interest you must inform NIEA.
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Energy efficiency requirements for metal production
Metal manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
How metal producers can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing working to take action on carbon emissions.
If your business produces or processes metals, cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
Check if you need a permit or registration
If your business is energy intensive, for example if you operate a furnace, boiler or electricity generator, you must check if you need a greenhouse gas emissions permit and need to trade emissions under the United Kingdom Emissions Trading System (UK ETS).
Find out more about carbon emissions trading and reporting schemes.
Reduce your Climate Change Levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency.
Your business may be able to take advantage of a climate change agreement (CCA) between your trade association and the government.
A CCA could allow you to claim an 80 per cent discount on your CCL if you achieve agreed targets for improving energy efficiency.
Find trade and support organisations in the metals production and processing sector.
Improve your energy efficiency
You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your energy use.
Find out more about how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs - where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds - where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
Find out if you could participate in any local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.
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Energy efficiency requirements for metal production
How to reduce energy use and keep control of energy costs at your metal production and processing sites.
Metals production and processing is an energy-intensive industry. By using less energy you can:
- save money on your fuel bills
- help to combat climate change
- improve your reputation with staff, customers and the public
Check if you can claim an exemption or discount from the climate change levy
The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Your business may be exempt from the CCL, or entitled to a discount, if you meet energy efficiency targets set out in a climate change agreement.
Ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
If you are moving premises you should make sure you receive an EPC for the building from the seller or your landlord. This includes domestic, commercial and public buildings.
The certificate gives the building an A-G energy efficiency rating and recommends how you can improve the energy rating of the building. The ratings are standard, so you can compare the energy efficiency of one building with another building of a similar type.
If you sell, let, construct or refurbish a building, you must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate.
Smart energy meters
The government is introducing smart electricity and gas meters to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon emissions. Smart meters will mean automatic and accurate billing. They should allow you to monitor live energy consumption and prices to help you use less power at peak times when it is most expensive.
Reduce your energy use
Review the energy your business uses. Look at your business activities and think of ways that you could save energy.
Compare the amount of energy that your business uses with industry standards. Your trade association can help you find this information.
Ensure you use plant, machinery and equipment efficiently:
- Turn off welders when you are not using them. Arc, metal inert gas and tungsten inert gas welders use substantial amounts of energy even when they are not being used for welding.
- Set the temperature on afterburners to the minimum level that still meets standards for emissions to air. Afterburners use lots of energy because of the high temperature they require.
- Use the lowest melt temperature in furnaces for the metals you are working with.
- Install lids on crucible furnaces to maintain heat, and close them whenever possible.
- Reduce the amount of scrap metal produced from the production process - it will need more energy to re-melt it.
- Run furnaces continuously at their optimum output, rather than heating them up from cold, as this improves their efficiency. You may be able to improve your efficiency by changing working practices and shift patterns, and using fewer furnaces for longer periods of time.
- Use energy-efficient replacements when you need to change motors, drives and pumps.
- Fit variable speed drives to existing motors, pumps and fans where appropriate.
Include targets and ways to reduce energy use in your environmental management system.
For ideas on how to improve your energy efficiency, see how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
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Metal manufacturing furnace efficiency
How to use your furnaces efficiently to save energy and money in metal production and processing facilities.
If you use furnaces in your metal production business, you could save money by running them more efficiently.
Use your furnaces efficiently
You could:
- use more environmentally-friendly furnace fuel - for example waste-derived fuels that have been fully recovered to a non-waste status
- make sure to use the most efficient furnace for your process - for example an electric induction furnace emits one tenth of the particulate emissions of a cupola furnace
- follow start-up procedures as recommended by the furnace manufacturer
- allow sufficient time when lighting up your furnace from cold - this will enable your furnace to run more efficiently and avoid unnecessary emissions and fuel use
- service your extraction systems regularly and repair defects or damage promptly to minimise your emissions
- put materials into batches and use programmed heating controls to improve energy efficiency
Use the correct furnace charge material
You could:
- pelletise fine feed materials before you introduce them to smelting or melting furnaces to reduce dust emissions
- only melt material which is compatible with your furnace - this will improve its efficiency
- maximise the metallic content of the charge material - this will minimise the amount of solid waste material produced and reduce energy use
- only melt clean scrap in your furnace, unless you have registered an exemption with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) that allows you to use contaminated scrap
Use energy and waste materials from your furnaces
Recover materials and heat from your furnaces. For example:
- You may be able to recover metals and salts from some slags. This will reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Reduce fuel use by recovering waste heat to use in other parts of your operation.
- Use recuperative or regenerative burners to recover heat from exhaust gases.
- You may be able to use steel slag as a secondary aggregate, for example roadstone, if the metal content is not too high. However, steel slag is considered waste, so you must comply with the appropriate waste regulations, for example you will need to transport it using a waste carrier and with a waste transfer note.
For information on using slag, contact the relevant trade association:
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Metal manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
Metal manufacturing carbon emissions reduction
How metal producers can reduce their impact on the environment by reducing working to take action on carbon emissions.
If your business produces or processes metals, cutting your carbon emissions can help you to comply with legislation as well as reducing your costs and your impact on the environment.
Check if you need a permit or registration
If your business is energy intensive, for example if you operate a furnace, boiler or electricity generator, you must check if you need a greenhouse gas emissions permit and need to trade emissions under the United Kingdom Emissions Trading System (UK ETS).
Find out more about carbon emissions trading and reporting schemes.
Reduce your Climate Change Levy (CCL) bill
The CCL is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Reduce your bill by using renewable energy and improving your energy efficiency.
Your business may be able to take advantage of a climate change agreement (CCA) between your trade association and the government.
A CCA could allow you to claim an 80 per cent discount on your CCL if you achieve agreed targets for improving energy efficiency.
Find trade and support organisations in the metals production and processing sector.
Improve your energy efficiency
You can save money and help the environment by taking steps to reduce your energy use.
Find out more about how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
Use renewable energy
Reduce your carbon emissions by using energy from renewable sources.
Buy your energy using:
- green tariffs - where the provider buys the same amount of energy you use from a renewable source such as a wind farm
- green funds - where the provider invests money into researching or setting up renewable energy projects
Find out if you could participate in any local community renewable energy schemes.
Generate your own electricity using wind, solar or other renewable energy sources.
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Source URL
/content/metal-manufacturing-carbon-emissions-reduction
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Energy efficiency requirements for metal production
How to reduce energy use and keep control of energy costs at your metal production and processing sites.
Metals production and processing is an energy-intensive industry. By using less energy you can:
- save money on your fuel bills
- help to combat climate change
- improve your reputation with staff, customers and the public
Check if you can claim an exemption or discount from the climate change levy
The Climate Change Levy (CCL) is a tax on using non-renewable energy. If the CCL applies to your business you will already be paying it as part of your energy bill. Your business may be exempt from the CCL, or entitled to a discount, if you meet energy efficiency targets set out in a climate change agreement.
Ask to see the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
If you are moving premises you should make sure you receive an EPC for the building from the seller or your landlord. This includes domestic, commercial and public buildings.
The certificate gives the building an A-G energy efficiency rating and recommends how you can improve the energy rating of the building. The ratings are standard, so you can compare the energy efficiency of one building with another building of a similar type.
If you sell, let, construct or refurbish a building, you must obtain an Energy Performance Certificate.
Smart energy meters
The government is introducing smart electricity and gas meters to help businesses save money and reduce their carbon emissions. Smart meters will mean automatic and accurate billing. They should allow you to monitor live energy consumption and prices to help you use less power at peak times when it is most expensive.
Reduce your energy use
Review the energy your business uses. Look at your business activities and think of ways that you could save energy.
Compare the amount of energy that your business uses with industry standards. Your trade association can help you find this information.
Ensure you use plant, machinery and equipment efficiently:
- Turn off welders when you are not using them. Arc, metal inert gas and tungsten inert gas welders use substantial amounts of energy even when they are not being used for welding.
- Set the temperature on afterburners to the minimum level that still meets standards for emissions to air. Afterburners use lots of energy because of the high temperature they require.
- Use the lowest melt temperature in furnaces for the metals you are working with.
- Install lids on crucible furnaces to maintain heat, and close them whenever possible.
- Reduce the amount of scrap metal produced from the production process - it will need more energy to re-melt it.
- Run furnaces continuously at their optimum output, rather than heating them up from cold, as this improves their efficiency. You may be able to improve your efficiency by changing working practices and shift patterns, and using fewer furnaces for longer periods of time.
- Use energy-efficient replacements when you need to change motors, drives and pumps.
- Fit variable speed drives to existing motors, pumps and fans where appropriate.
Include targets and ways to reduce energy use in your environmental management system.
For ideas on how to improve your energy efficiency, see how to save money by using energy more efficiently.
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Source URL
/content/energy-efficiency-requirements-metal-production
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Metal manufacturing furnace efficiency
How to use your furnaces efficiently to save energy and money in metal production and processing facilities.
If you use furnaces in your metal production business, you could save money by running them more efficiently.
Use your furnaces efficiently
You could:
- use more environmentally-friendly furnace fuel - for example waste-derived fuels that have been fully recovered to a non-waste status
- make sure to use the most efficient furnace for your process - for example an electric induction furnace emits one tenth of the particulate emissions of a cupola furnace
- follow start-up procedures as recommended by the furnace manufacturer
- allow sufficient time when lighting up your furnace from cold - this will enable your furnace to run more efficiently and avoid unnecessary emissions and fuel use
- service your extraction systems regularly and repair defects or damage promptly to minimise your emissions
- put materials into batches and use programmed heating controls to improve energy efficiency
Use the correct furnace charge material
You could:
- pelletise fine feed materials before you introduce them to smelting or melting furnaces to reduce dust emissions
- only melt material which is compatible with your furnace - this will improve its efficiency
- maximise the metallic content of the charge material - this will minimise the amount of solid waste material produced and reduce energy use
- only melt clean scrap in your furnace, unless you have registered an exemption with the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) that allows you to use contaminated scrap
Use energy and waste materials from your furnaces
Recover materials and heat from your furnaces. For example:
- You may be able to recover metals and salts from some slags. This will reduce the amount of waste you produce.
- Reduce fuel use by recovering waste heat to use in other parts of your operation.
- Use recuperative or regenerative burners to recover heat from exhaust gases.
- You may be able to use steel slag as a secondary aggregate, for example roadstone, if the metal content is not too high. However, steel slag is considered waste, so you must comply with the appropriate waste regulations, for example you will need to transport it using a waste carrier and with a waste transfer note.
For information on using slag, contact the relevant trade association:
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Furniture manufacturing energy efficiency
In this guide:
- Furniture manufacturing resource efficiency
- Reducing environmental impact of furniture manufacturing
- Furniture manufacturing design and purchasing practices
- Furniture manufacturing product assembly, packaging and returns
- Furniture manufacturing handling and storing materials
- Dealing with furniture manufacturing waste
- Furniture manufacturing solvent use reduction
- Furniture manufacturing water use and effluent reduction
- Furniture manufacturing energy efficiency
- Furniture manufacturing transport efficiency
Reducing environmental impact of furniture manufacturing
Furniture manufacturing tips for reducing resource usage, more efficient manufacturing processes and less chemical use.
The main ways to reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing furniture include:
- product design and purchasing
- reducing raw material use
- secondary machining losses through cut-offs
- spraying and coating
- assembly, packaging and returns
For your environmental improvement plans to be effective you should seek management and staff buy-in.
Use an environmental management plan in furniture manufacturing
The most effective way of improving your environmental performance is to use a systematic approach rather than a series of one-off ideas and projects. The most comprehensive method is to set up an environmental management system (EMS).
If you don't have the resources to implement a full EMS, you can still use some of the same steps to manage your resources and environmental impact. These include:
- getting the commitment of senior management to improve environmental performance
- reviewing your existing environmental performance to establish a baseline measure improvements against
- identifying areas for improvement
- creating an action plan of what will be done, by who and when
- setting targets and objectives for improvements
- regularly reviewing performance
For more information see on how to carry out an environmental review of your business.
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Furniture manufacturing design and purchasing practices
How the design of goods and choice of raw materials can reduce costs and waste for furniture manufacturers.
One of the most effective ways furniture manufacturers can reduce resource use and waste production is to look closely at design practices, material suppliers and manufacturing processes.
Ecodesign in furniture manufacturing
Ecodesign is a process that enables your business to consider each aspect of a product in detail to identify where you could eliminate waste from the production process. Aspects that you should focus on include:
- suitability of materials - you may be able to use cheaper, more sustainable materials for some product components
- quality checks - to ensure minimum waste is produced
- volume of materials - cutting the amount of material used in a component could mean a significant reduction in costs and materials
- rationalisation of your product line - reducing product lines or changing product designs can enable you to use fewer, more sustainable materials
- life-cycle assessment - you can use this technique to analyse environmental impacts throughout the life cycle of your products
For more information see ecodesign for goods and services.
Purchasing raw materials
Your business can improve its environmental credentials by reviewing how - and from whom - it purchases raw materials. You should consider:
- how much stock your business is holding - just-in-time stock control can be a highly effective way to reduce storage costs
- purchasing raw materials in different quantities to reduce handling costs
- buying better quality raw materials as they will need less processing
- whether the quality of your goods is high enough to avoid short life cycles and reduced functionality
- buying partly processed components to save on-site energy, labour and maintenance costs
Furniture manufacturing process optimisation
The manufacturing processes your business uses can be a major source of cost savings. Using certain systems and technologies can minimise waste, increase process speed, reduce set-up times and improve product consistency - see process efficiency to cut waste.
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Furniture manufacturing product assembly, packaging and returns
How furniture manufacturers can cut costs with more efficient product assembly and better packaging.
Product assembly, packaging and returns are key areas that furniture manufacturers should focus on to reduce costs and waste.
Product assembly
Typically, your business will manufacture two per cent more components than are actually needed to assemble your finished products. Even a small reduction in the number of components discarded during assembly can lead to substantial savings. Ways of reducing waste include:
- checking that the components your business buys are of the correct standard
- ensuring components are not damaged before assembly
- raising staff awareness of the value of components they are handling
Product packaging and returns
Most furniture manufacturers spend between one and three per cent of their turnover on packaging. Reviewing your product packaging can have a significant impact on costs as returns are minimised. However, you should avoid overpackaging. Effective methods to reduce product packaging include:
- rationalising your packaging use by using automated systems and transparent packaging, enabling operators to recognise easily damaged products
- training to ensure operators correctly handle products during packaging and transport and that they understand the true cost of returns to your business
You should also ensure you're aware of the legal responsibilities you have regarding the packaging your business uses - see packaging and packaging waste management.
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Furniture manufacturing handling and storing materials
How furniture manufacturers can correctly store and handle raw materials and waste to save costs and reduce waste.
Although it's often overlooked, materials storage and handling can make a significant contribution to cost savings. Furniture manufacturers can minimise waste in storage areas by:
- reducing exposure to water and dramatic changes in temperature
- maintaining supplier-recommended levels of temperature and humidity in your materials store
- carrying out good housekeeping that minimises damage, spillages and spoilage of stored raw materials, such as by installing a well-designed racking system
You can reduce waste from materials handling by:
- developing systems and procedures that reduce the risk of accidents and materials damage
- using the correct equipment to move materials
- ensuring delivery staff are fully trained and can carry products on and off vehicles safely and efficiently
You can reduce waste from materials processing by:
- using good dust extraction systems
- controlling process waste on the shop floor
- ensuring solvents and other hazardous substances are managed safely
- separating materials to ensure the safe use of bins and skips for waste
Dust is a major issue for all furniture manufacturers. You must have efficient dust-extraction systems to comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations.
Installing small wood-combustion plants and wood-burning boilers is a cost-effective way of reusing wood waste. Ensure that any installations meet legal requirements such as emission limits and permits.
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Dealing with furniture manufacturing waste
How furniture manufacturing businesses can work to reduce or eliminate their waste in a cost-effective way.
Furniture manufacturing processes can generate high levels of waste. Any action you can take to reduce or even eliminate waste can save you money and reduce your business' impact on the environment. Where your business does produce waste you need to decide the best option for dealing with it.
Reuse furniture manufacturing waste
After elimination and reduction, reusing waste products is the next best way to use your business' resources more efficiently. You should ensure that the maximum volumes of waste are reused, for example by:
- identifying the smallest usable component in your manufacturing process - any waste material below this minimum size will not be reusable
- redesigning your product range to incorporate waste materials as either an essential component or a design feature
- producing a new product from waste materials
- processing waste to incorporate into another product
- using waste as packaging materials for finished goods during shipping and transporting
If you can't reuse the waste your business produces on site, look closely at the other businesses in your supply chain - your waste could be another organisation's raw material.
Furniture manufacturing waste to energy
Investing in a combustion plant can enable your business to generate heat from wood waste. The benefits of wood combustion include:
- a reduction in your reliance on outside energy sources
- reduced fuel costs
- lower landfill and waste disposal costs
- increased self-sufficiency
You must ensure that the waste you use in a combustion plant doesn't contain any halogenated materials that include PVC edgings or chlorine. Burning these materials will mean that your plant does not comply with the strict emissions regulations that are in place. This would also produce acid gases that erode ductwork.
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Furniture manufacturing solvent use reduction
How furniture manufacturers can reduce their use of solvents and limit their solvent emissions to the atmosphere.
Furniture manufacturers are likely to use solvent-based substances for a number of purposes, for example coatings and adhesives. Reducing solvent use can help you cut costs and reduce the impact of your business on human health and the environment. To reduce solvent use you should:
- ensure all tins are completely empty before disposal - this can save substantial amounts of money
- ensure two-pack materials are handled correctly - mixing these correctly minimises the amount of waste materials produced
- ensure thinners are only used when absolutely necessary
- use water-borne stains and lacquers - these can cost more per litre, but you can use significantly smaller volumes to coat a surface, saving on overall cost
- use water to clean spray lines instead of thinners - this can significantly reduce the levels of solvent waste to be disposed of
- train staff so they know how they can help secure long-term solvent reductions
- use powder coatings - these are solvent-free and can have their overspray collected and reused
- use advanced coating equipment to reduce solvent use, increase productivity and improve working conditions for operators
- weigh up whether to use hand spraying or automated coating hand spraying or automated coating systems - this is likely to depend on the quantity of coating required
- use spray lines with solvent-borne or water-borne UV-cured coatings for moulded and profiled panels
- accurately control curtain coating processes and collect excess material for reuse
- use vacuum coating for components that can be placed into a regular flow - this enables transfer efficiencies of 98 per cent to be achieved
- capture dirty thinners - if it is your business' standard practice to clean spray lines and guns by running solvent through them, collecting this material for reuse can offer consistent cost savings
- use on-site solvent recovery - if you send more than 1,000 litres a year off-site for recovery you may find it more cost-effective to clean dirty solvents on site using a solvent recovery still, enabling solvents to be reused several times
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Furniture manufacturing water use and effluent reduction
Methods which furniture manufacturers should consider to help reduce water use and limit the production of effluent.
Furniture manufacturers are likely to produce a wide range of effluent (liquid waste) including:
- boiler blowdown
- air compressor condensate
- vehicle wash-down water
- veneer press wash-down effluent
- water back booth effluent from coating booths
- hazardous waste water from solvents, oil and separator sludges
Eliminating and reducing effluent is usually the most cost-effective option and the best for the environment. However, where this is not possible, you should consider other options for dealing with it such as reuse and recovery. Look at your processes and analyse where you can change these to reduce effluent production.
You must ensure you have appropriate consent to discharge effluent into surface water drains or sewers.
Reduce water consumption in furniture manufacturing
You are likely to use water in a number of ways in your business. Reducing your water use will lower the costs you pay to get water supplied and wastewater disposed of. You should establish an action plan that prioritises which areas of your water use you should tackle first.
If you use significant quantities of water in washrooms, catering facilities or for vehicle cleaning, see how to save water at commercial premises.
If you use significant quantities of water during rinsing, cleaning and other industrial processes, see how to save water at industrial premises.
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Furniture manufacturing energy efficiency
How better energy management can enable furniture manufacturers to reduce costs and help the environment.
Energy efficiency has become an increasingly important issue for furniture manufacturers as energy prices rise and the United Kingdom government has introduced policy measures such as the Climate Change Levy.
Your business should have a detailed plan, including targets, to reduce its energy consumption. Areas within your business to look at closely include:
- machinery
- compressed air
- extraction systems
- lighting and heating
- office equipment
Motors and drives account for two-thirds of the electrical energy used by industry. As motors can cost up to 100 times as much to run over their ten-year life as their initial purchase cost, it is worth choosing higher efficiency motors. You can also make savings by:
- switching off the motors when they are not in use
- reducing the load on individual motors
- reducing motor speeds as variable speed drivers can potentially save 30 to 50 per cent in many businesses
As compressed air is very expensive to generate and only has a 10 per cent efficiency in a typical situation, it is worth assessing how many compressors your business actually needs to operate on a day-to-day basis.
You should also educate and train your workforce to ensure that air is not taken for granted, but is seen as a precious resource.
You may need to meet requirements of emissions trading schemes.
You may need also to comply with legal requirements relating to the energy efficiency of buildings.
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Furniture manufacturing transport efficiency
How better transport management can help furniture manufacturers reduce costs and help the environment.
Transport within the furniture industry is a necessary expense. Your business can reduce its vehicle costs by:
- optimising trailer sizes to reduce the number of journeys required
- improving your overall supply chain to minimise the amount of time vehicles are not carrying a load
- improving the efficiency of your vehicles via regular maintenance and servicing
- using sat-nav technology that can suggest alternative faster routes to optimise journey times
Within the transport component of your business, fuel is likely to be the most expensive resource. In addition, because road fuel is more heavily taxed, its contribution to your business' overall energy costs is even greater. Steps you can take to reduce your fuel use include:
- reducing journeys by better planning of multi-drop deliveries to customers
- monitoring fuel consumption against driver performance
- improving the overall quality of your products to avoid returns that have to be collected
- minimising environmental damage from exhaust emissions, oil and fuel leaks
- considering whether you could save money by using an external delivery company
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Printing business water efficiency
Managing printing business environmental impact
Taking a systematic approach is the most effective way for printing businesses to reduce their environmental impact.
Businesses in the printing industry have major opportunities to reduce their environmental impact and cut costs. The most effective way to do this is through taking a systematic approach - for example, by setting up a formal environmental management system (EMS) and having it certified to the ISO 14001 standard or verified under the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
If you don't have the time or resources to set up an EMS, you could take a less formal approach by:
- reviewing your environmental performance and making sure that you comply with all relevant environmental legislation
- deciding on priority issues
- creating an action plan of what you're going to do, who is going to do it and when they should do it
- setting targets and objectives
- reviewing your performance and making improvements
For more information, see how to carry out an environmental review of your business.
Before you start, you should make sure you have the commitment of senior management. You should also consider appointing an environmental champion or an environmental team.
Effective management can reduce the environmental impact of:
- solvents
- waste streams such as paper, other substrates and packaging
- energy use
- water use
- transport
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Printing business energy efficiency
How businesses in the printing industry can take steps to reduce their energy use and save money by cutting costs.
There are several ways printing businesses can reduce energy use. You should check whether machines can automatically go on stand-by when they're not used for a period of time and make sure this is activated. Where appropriate, switch off machines completely when they are not in use for long periods, such as overnight or at weekends.
You should also factor energy costs into purchasing decisions. Consider the following:
- when you buy a new machine, choose the most energy-efficient model that meets your production requirements; compare the energy consumption in production, idle and sleep modes
- ensure that machines are set up and operated according to the manufacturer's recommendations on energy efficiency and ensure all users know the correct settings
- consider whether the machine can be turned off manually at night or whether you could use a plug-in timer?
- estimate the energy cost per copy and per week, given your operating hours and projected copy volumes, and factor this into your purchasing decisions
You can also cut energy costs by:
- ensuring staff turn off lights when they're not needed
- unplugging or switching off chargers, eg for mobile telephones and cameras - when they're not in use
- using plug sockets that can turn off multiple items with only one switch
- installing localised lighting controls, eg pull switches above workstations and timer switches - or movement detectors in infrequently occupied areas, eg washrooms and coffee areas
- installing insulation for doors, windows, roofs and walls
Energy Star
The Energy Star logo means that the energy consumption of an appliance - eg computers, monitors, printers, fax machines and imaging equipment - is below an agreed level when in standby mode. Consider buying office and imaging products that have the logo as they use up to 60 per cent less electricity than standard equipment.
Cooling and heating your premises
Most papers don't need environmental control where the air temperature is above 12°C, although you may need some form of enhanced ventilation when machines are operated in enclosed areas. Consider alternatives to air conditioning such as natural ventilation, extraction fans and adiabatic cooling systems.
If you have air conditioning systems, use them efficiently and get them inspected regularly.
You should also ensure heaters are energy efficient and serviced at least annually. Ensure you can control heaters locally.
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Printing business water efficiency
How businesses in the printing industry can cut water costs while maintaining quality and productivity.
All printing businesses can reduce water use. This can enable you to benefit from lower costs of both buying water and of disposing and treating wastewater and effluent.
You can benefit from filtering and reusing water used in washing machines and similar applications. Litho printers in particular can benefit from converting machines to waterless printing. This can save thousands of litres of water a year by eliminating the dampening system used in conventional litho printing.
What is waterless printing?
Waterless printing involves either installing a dedicated digital imaging system or converting a conventional litho press. Conversion involves removing the dampening system and resetting or replacing some of the ink train rollers and blankets. Depending on typical print runs, you may also need to install equipment to control temperature and humidity in the press room and to experiment with different inks and papers.
The benefits of waterless printing can be considerable, including:
- substantial savings in water use and effluent disposal
- improved print quality
- shorter make-ready
- significantly reduced solvent emissions
- less paper and substrate wastage
You can reduce water use by up to 60 per cent in washrooms through relatively simple measures, for example:
- fitting push-button taps on wash basins
- fitting automatic flushes on urinals
- installing 'hippo bags' in water cisterns
- regularly checking for and repairing leaks and dripping taps
For more information, see how to save water at commercial premises.
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Printing business transport efficiency
Reducing transport use can have major cost and environmental benefits for businesses in the printing industry.
Vehicle use has significant environmental impacts:
- cars, vans and lorries use petrol, oil and diesel which are from non-renewable resources
- vehicle engines release carbon dioxide (associated with climate change), sulphur dioxide (associated with acid rain) and nitrous oxides (associated with air pollution)
- traffic congestion increases noise and affects communities
Using transport efficiently can reduce the environmental impact of your printing business. It can also cut the amount of money and tax you pay on transport.
If you operate your own vehicles, you should introduce a fleet management process and consider:
- optimising delivery routes to reduce mileage
- converting your vehicles so they can take cleaner fuel or opting for dual-fuel vehicles
- using electric vehicles in urban areas
- organising sales teams by geographical area rather than as customer account teams to reduce vehicle use
- using your own vans to pick up staff for work
- using couriers to deliver one-off jobs if your own transport would not be environmentally efficient
Workplace travel
Introducing a workplace travel plan to manage the travel generated by your business can reduce your environmental impact, as well as offering financial and staff benefits. A travel plan can help you reduce the need for travel and support more sustainable travel, such as walking, cycling, public transport, car sharing and car clubs. For more information, see how to create a workplace travel plan.
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