METHOD FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCHEMES FOR PRINTED PRODUCTS

Background

The market for printed products is characterised by a wealth of ecolabelling schemes and environmental certifications available, which have all different scopes, strategic approaches and functioning. This makes it difficult for both printers and print buyers to navigate among these different schemes and select the appropriate one(s) which will best reflect the environmental performance of the printed product.

 

Purpose

The purpose of MAES is to support both printing companies and their customers in their strategic selection of environmental schemes related to printed products, allowing them to make informed environmental decisions and communicate them in a transparent way. MAES will also support the substantiation of green claims related to the production of printed products and prevent greenwashing in the industry.

 

Approach

MAES does not aim to tell whether an environmental scheme is good or bad, better or worse than another, but it aims at providing a tool for users to assess whether the scheme is appropriate according to defined parameters that are relevant for the environmental performance of a printed product. MAES defines these relevant environmental parameters and a classification to help the user weighing each parameter.

 

Environmental parameters

MAES defines the environmental parameters following a life-cycle approach, that are relevant to consider when assessing the environmental performance of printed products.

MAES lists 8 parameters:

• 1. Relevance of the scheme
• 2. Weighting of the requirements
• 3. Production and consumption of paper
• 4. Energy efficiency in printing
• 5. Biodiversity in forest management
• 6. Recyclability properties of the product
• 7. Requirements for chemical substances
• 8. Requirements for emissions of VOC

 

Classification of environmental parameters

For the defined environmental parameters, a classification is established to help the user weighing each parameter in the overall assessment.

The classification is based on the following 4 levels: 

 

High	Represents best practice in relation to requirements for the individual environmental parameter. A classification at this level basically requires absolute requirement limits set at a level that ensures performance at a high environmental level.
Medium	Represents a performance that is at a lower level than best practice, but where the requirements are still environmentally relevant and are set at a relevant level. This includes, among other things, requirements where limits have been set for the individual parameters, but where the limits are not absolute (e.g., the possibility to earn points for an overall score of performance).
Low	Represents a performance where there is limited documented environmental impact of the requirements that are being made. This also includes absolute limits set for parameters or at levels that are not of environmental relevance. Self-assessments and environmental management without requirements for reporting or continuous improvement are generally classified as Low.
None	Represents a performance where no requirements have been defined or there is no documented environmental effect of the requirements.

 

 

Link to MAES:

Intergraf Method for the Assessment of Environmental Schemes for printed products (MAES)

 

Contact: Laetitia Reynaud

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