PMP Limited

Environmental Initiatives

Printing

• PMP Print, New Zealand has achieved Enviro-Mark Gold at its Riccarton site in Christchurch and is in the process of progressing to ISO 140001 certification. The Enviro-Mark Gold Standard certification requires companies to have robust systems in place to ensure best practices in waste and energy, while ensuring that any by-product from the printing process does not harm the environment. Where possible PMP New Zealand purchase from sustainable sources and are continuously improving the printing process by working with their suppliers to develop less harmful inks, washes, and solutions that continuously improve the health and safety of their staff and the environment.
• PMP New Zealand’s water and electricity consumption is constantly monitored and this is considered when purchasing new equipment. PMP New Zealand also re-uses, and recycles their waste streams to continuously reduce waste going to landfill.

Inks

• PMP New Zealand’s sheet fed production units in Auckland and Christchurch use inks based on vegetable oils which at most contain only 1% mineral oils. In their larger heatset plants (web offset), the vegetable oil based inks are not suitable however their development is part of PMP New Zealand’s ongoing improvement plan with their ink supplier. In the heatset production process the inks are run through ovens which dry the ink by evaporating the solvents in the ink. These chemicals are extracted from the ovens and processed through to an afterburner running in excess of 750 degrees destroying these contaminants to 99.9% before being released to the atmosphere.  This is regularly tested and consent is authorised from the local council.

Recycling

• Plastic from strapping and wrapping machines are also recycled through ‘Paper Reclaim’ in the North Island and ‘Coleridge Recycling’ in Christchurch.
• Aluminum plates and other waste metal (e.g. ink tins) that are used during the print process are recycled via metal recycling companies.
• Gordon & Gotch are able to offer customers the use of oxo-biodegradable film which highlights being; 100% biodegradable, environmentally friendly, able to assist in reduction of landfill volume plastic pollution. 

  The film is made with an additive TDPA (totally degradable plastic additive) which allows the plastic to break down into small fragments and as a result of exposure to naturally occurring micro-organisms such as bacteria and fungi the plastic can then biodegrade.  The TDPA begins to breakdown the Polythene into brittle fragments due to exposure to natural UV light, heat and oxygen. The plastic molecules eventually become so small that they become a food source for micro-organisms.

Waste

• Waste paper is tracked, measured, and collected by ‘Paper Reclaim’ in Auckland for recycling and ‘Coleridge Recycling’ in Christchurch.
• All waste ink & chemicals are collected from the print process and then sent for treatment and re-use or disposal. PMP New Zealand regularly audit chemicals held on site, and continually work with suppliers to ensure they are leading the way with any new environmental, innovative products.  An example of this is to remove Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) completely from their heat set sites; seeing it as a critical risk not only for the plant but the environment.  PMP New Zealand is trialling a new, safer, and environmentally friendly option at present. Both PMP New Zealand’s Warkworth and Christchurch heat set web presses are running free of IPA.

Energy

• PMP New Zealand has commenced an energy reduction project. PMP New Zealand have contracted the services of a 3rd party expert to review the company's current energy usage (predominantly electricity and gas), and to recommend opportunities to reduce this over time. PMP New Zealand's objective is to minimise energy usage, and in the longer term seek ways to leverage off the energy created through the production process to generate power for our own use, or to input into the national grid.