Eco balance

One way to check and co-ordinate the elements of our environmental policy, as well as measuring progress, is the Eco Balance, which has been operational throughout Roto Smeets Group since 1994. The Eco Balance is a mass balance of all inflows and outflows of materials and has displayed a clear, continuous improvement in recent years, compared with 1994, the reference year.

The data produced by Roto Smeets Group are coordinated and validated by TME – the Institute for Applied Environmental Economics – which specialises in the economics and management of the environment and natural resources.

The Ecobalance measures the streams in the individual Roto Smeets Group plants and the plants as a whole. It is not just a record. If performance is accurately captured in terms of numbers, it becomes possible to set precise goals with plans for action, the results of which can also be precisely measured. Because the Ecobalance reveals the companies’ complete material budget, it can be used not only to manage emissions but also to help in the efficient management of raw materials and ancillary chemicals in the production process.

A more accurate picture is gained by comparing results for the previous five years.

Explanatory notes to the 2012 charts:

The data presented here are taken from the RSG Ecobalance and represent a careful measurement of all incoming and outgoing flows. The figures below come from the RSG
Ecobalance, which is derived from a careful record of all inflows and outflows. It should be noted, however, that not all flows are easy to weigh. The release of volatile compounds from
certain formulations, for instance, has to be assessed from a given percentage evaporation. In such cases we have to rely on theoretical and empirical knowledge, such as that presented in
the Information Sheet L33 Air, “Solvent Resolution” by InfoMil, verified as far as possible by tests and measurements made on the shop floor.
The data relate to the energy and water consumed in business operations, and the materials used in the production process. The Input side of the Ecobalance records the raw materials,
ancillaries and process materials, while the Output consists of products and wastes (solid waste, waste water, emissions), all insofar as they relate directly to the RSG production plants
in the Netherlands. Naturally, indirect environmental aspects are also involved, such as the production of materials that RSG purchases, or the processing of waste streams from the plants.
However, environmental burdens that occur elsewhere in the chain do not firm part of the Ecobalance and are not shown in the data below. This does not, incidentally, means that RSG’s
concern starts only after purchase, nor that it stops after the waste has been removed. RSG is active in other parts of the chain as it imposes demands on suppliers and waste processors,
and educates its business contacts. Care like this also forms part of the ISO 14001 environmental management system. The presentation shows the 2012 data in every case accompanied by data from the four previous years. Data for different years cannot be simply compared. Changes of production volume naturally influence both input and output. For that
reason, all absolute consumption and emission data have been recalculated in terms of quantities per ton of paper that passed through the presses.

INPUT
Nearly all consumption data show a relatively fl at trend. This is due to the fact that all data are expressed in terms of kilograms of paper consumed. Recent years have seen sizes and print runs decline, with fewer titles and a shift to lighter paper substances. This influences the relationship with the consumption of raw materials, ancillaries and process chemicals. The use of lighter weight papers - which means that the number of kilograms drops – ‘disturbs’ the trend in the index values.
In absolute terms, the plants have once again achieved good results, as exemplified by energy consumption. In total, energy consumption dropped by 4.6% compared to 2011, but the index in gigajoule/ton paper input has risen slightly, due to the fact that the quantity of paper processed shrunk by 8%, while there are equipments that must be continually supplied with electricity, even when production stops.

INK
Ink usage has declined recently thanks to monitoring by the measurement systems. The rotogravure presses use a GMI system, which uses a photospectrometer to continuously measure the printed paper web. The inking system is managed fully automatically according to predefined density standards. The sheet-fed presses use the InktStar system, which replenished the ink in measured doses, this economizing on ink usage. Process optimization in the rotogravure plants is based on High Performance (HP) inks combined with changes in the engraving gradations.
In the finishing departments the methylethylketone (MEK) solvent-rich ink for the inkjet printers has been replaced by a water-based ink, leading to a 60-70% reduction.

Ink consumption 2008 - 2012 (in kg/ton paper)

ENERGY

RSG has been concerned to reduce energy consumption for years. Signifi cant results in this area are mainly thanks to investments in replacement equipment. At SMD the investment
in a new cooler, for example, led to 25% less electricity consumption. SMD are currently conducting an energy savings audit, due for completion in April 2013. This will also cover the
measurement and recording of relevant energy parameters.
Despite the energy saving achievements, the index shows a drop. As stated above, this is due to the fact that the amount of paper processed has dropped by 8 %, while there are equipments that must be continually supplied with electricity, even when production has stopped. Last year’s mild winter allowed us to report a drop in gas consumption. The winter of 2012 was harsh, so gas consumption for space heating rose. If we record consumption in degree days, taking account of the external temperature, then we see an average drop in gas consumption of 9 %. Gas consumption dropped in the toluene recovery plants at the rotogravure plants. Sieving out the active charcoal beds made them more effective with lower energy consumption. The web-based plants switched over to regenerative afterburners to treat their flue gases, which has led to 75 % less gas consumption. Last year’s lower production volume means that the gas consumption index remained more or less constant.

Energy consumption 2008 – 2012 (gigajoule/ton paper input)

WATER

Waterconsumption (in m3/tonne paperinput) 2005-2009

Water consumption in 2012 was slightly higher than 2011, largely due to the weather, aided by breakdowns, such the central cooling in one plant and plate preparation in another. The index is also influenced by the fact that the central coolers remain in operation, even when less printing is done, as was the case in 2012.

ANCILLARY MATERIALS

The ancillary materials index is mainly determined by the consumption of packaging materials such adhesives, staples, film, and boxes. The Rotopack consumption figures were included in
the Ecobalance for the first time in 2012. Rotopack was an independent finishing unit, specializing in stitching and packaging consumer magazines. From van March 2013 Rotopack became an integrated department of Roto Smeets Deventer. The 2012 figures have been incorporated here to facilitate comparison.
The consumption of packaging film and glue especially is higher at Rotopack than at Roto Smeets Deventer, which affects the ancillaries index. In absolute terms per plant, ancillary material consumption declined. It is also worth mentioning that the use of biodegradable packaging films is gaining ground over the more common types (compared to 2011 with 200%).

Ancillary material consumption 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

PROCESS MATERIALS
Process materials include chemicals (broadly speaking one third of the total mass), plates and the associated developer and fixer, cleaning cloths, cleansing agents and disposable
packaging of products supplied to us. Consumption dropped again, below the 2011 level. The offset plants have now moved to Computer To Plate and the results of IPA reduction in recent
years have led to a considerable drop in chemical consumption.
In 2011 there was a rise, caused by the rotogravure plants, but measures were taken there, leading in 2012 to 27% less chemical use, as well as fewer polishing cloths, gloves and lubricants. In general, process material consumption is strongly influenced “from outside” as a result of the order package and order portfolio (colour use, colour changes, print run, paper types, etc.), since these determine the number of offset plates and the quantity of cleaning materials needed. Apart from that, though, the RSG plants are always committed to minimizing the consumption of these materials in the daily conduct of their business. In particular, the use of K2 cleanser has been dramatically reduced in the offset plants, and the IPA consumption has been cut by 65% over the past decade. The prepress process in the rotogravure plants no longer use toluene, but Biosol G, which is an ecologically sound industrial cleanser / degreaser
based on natural solvent and completely biodegradable.

Process material consumption 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

OUTPUT

EMISSIONS TO WATER
Waste water receives attention in all plants as part of their continuing effort to improve their production process. Emissions have once again dropped, even below the 2010 level. The
temporary climb in 2011 was caused by the installation of a new air humidifying plant.
The water used in the plants for household purposes and the cooling towers does not come into contact with the production process and therefore remains free of the chemicals used.
Most important is the waste water polluted by the production process in the RSG plants. All the waste water the plants discharge to the sewer receives additional final treatment in a
waste water treatment plant, which means they comply with the permitted quality standards for waste water.

Emissions to water 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

EMISSIONS TO AIR

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions dropped once again in 2012 below the 2011 level. Roughly 7% of the total quantity of VOC consists of isopropylalcohol (IPA) used in the
offset plants. IPA consumption has been declining for years as the press workers use lower dosages and print on alcohol-free presses. This has resulted in immense cuts in VOC emissions: IPA emissions have dropped by 65% in the past decade. Continuing
with minimal dosing, more alcohol-free printing or the use of different additives remain the most significant ways to cut IPA emissions even further in future.
VOCs also include other compounds, such as other moistening water additives and cleansers, plus (in rotogravure) toluene from the ink. Toluene is a solvent in the ink and some of it is released during printing. This toluene containing air (79% of VOC emissions) is drawn off above the presses and sent to a recovery plant.

The yield of these toluene recovery plants is around 99 %. On balance, so much toluene is recovered that a considerable amount can be sold back to the suppliers, after deduction of a
small amount for internal use. The possibilities to permanently cut toluene emissions from the rotogravure plants lie mainly in the use of high pigment inks and an expansion of concentration dependent air extraction above the presses. However, the prepress process has also ceased to use toluene, as they now use clamps rather than glue, coupled with the use of Biosol G, which has led to a slight decline.
Once the printed matter is finally ready, it can still give rise to minor VOC emissions. The rotogravure ink still contains toluene, which is released gradually. This occurs first of all in the plant, where the work stands ready for dispatch, during transport or even further down the line. Within RSG this emission is being dealt with by modifying the ink formulas to influence
the moment of toluene release, so that it is freed during the production process, where it can be captured, or by passing the printed matter through an autoclave, which is a closed space
held under greatly reduced pressure, which forces toluene to evaporate from the printed paper. This extra stage gives reusable toluene and prevents its “disappearance” down the line. In this way the toluene content of the printed paper meets the stringent requirements that some (especially the Scandinavian countries) demand.

Emissions of Volatile Organic Compounds 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

WASTES
Of all the RSG wastes, 98% can be recycled. The waste is separated and collected by a qualified company specialising in sustainable waste management. Waste management goes
further than just collecting, processing and/or recycling it. It’s also about reducing the quantity and cutting the costs of waste. This is done by better separation and recycling. Re-introducing
waste materials into the production cycle helps counter resource depletion and cuts CO2 emissions. RSG also collects hazardous wastes in this same sustainable way, having them
processed to innocuous residues and valuable raw materials, thus lessening their impact and hazards to mankind and the environment.
2012 saw a further refinement in separated collection, meaning that more waste is now recorded as recyclable waste, while the volumes of remaining waste and hazardous waste have declined. Record keeping concerning recyclable waste has also improved, so monitoring gives a better view of the results achieved. Sorting into component streams means that recycling can serve more purposes.

General process waste 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

Hazardous waste 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

Recyclable waste 2008 – 2012 (kg/ton paper input)

For more information, contact: emily.knegtel@rotosmeets.com