Seacourt

Notes on Seacourt lecture

5 dec 1995 they were visited by the Paint Research Association - wanted to do an environmental audit on their business. They did well but there is always room for improvement. They produced lots of waste. Emmisions were audited etc.

306 bins per anum waste created that went straight to landfill.

1997 - Decision to go waterless offset. Installation of first waterless offset printing machine.

1998 - registration to ISO 14001 environmental accreditation. (14001 means ----)

1999- 2nd printer worldwide to be EMAS environmentally accredited. (EMAS is to show ongoing improvement year on) Installation of large 5 colour waterless offset machine, has better results then litho printing.

2001- became carbon neutral. decision to go to recycled paper route, decision to use vegetable oil.  mineral based inks create VOC's. Saved emmisions by 0.5%.

When they went waterless they saved 96%.

2003-switched to 100% renewable energy. cost 20,000 a year more to go to renewable power.

2004- started winning awards. 2008- Emas Uk award.

2009- platemaking water recycled (99.5% water reduction) saves 140,000 litres per year.

As a business their water usage is less then the average family home. 

First printer in the world to become Zero Waste to landfill

2009-Digital printing machines installed. Citri toner (organic based, used far less power then conventional toner).

Had the Queens award for Sustainable Development twice.

2012 - large format production commenced. printing onto bamboo fibre, avoid pvc.