News
Polywrap ban proposed in strict direct mail standards plan
Mailing houses could be forced to scrap the use of polywrap in favour of paper that is up to 75% recycled under a newly proposed UK standard for direct mail that is being endorsed by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA).
The PAS 2020 standard has been proposed by the British Standards Institute (BSi), but has been developed in conjunction with a panel of direct mail experts, including industry practitioners, representatives of national and local government and consumer groups.
A draft copy, which PrintWeek has obtained, is currently with the panel. Respondents have until 25 July to give their thoughts on the proposed standards.
According to the DMA's director of media channel development, Robert Keitch, the organisation hopes to have the standard in place by September.
The standard will have three levels, with companies having to adhere to stricter rulings in order to meet each level.
Some of the criteria included are the eradication of bindings, laminations, non-biodegradable plastic wrapping, polystyrene envelope windows and staples; a minimum of 75% recycled fibre; 75% of inks used to be vegetable oil-based and contain no mineral oil; and 75% of all finishes to be water-based.
Although direct mail companies may be concerned about meeting such hard-hitting targets, at the moment there are no plans to make the standard mandatory.
However, Keitch believes there will be still be a high take-up when the standard is brought in.
He said: "The smart organisations will understand that the environment is an investment in a strategic capability. It is not a cost, it is a competitive advantage.
"Clients will be asking what do I have to do to be more environmentally focused, and the answer is to follow this standard – it is a clear-cut strategic way forward with no ambiguity.
"The point of the standard is that we can provide the whole industry with a tool that is able to improve their environmental performance. This is about members and individuals demonstrating to policy makers that they can seize the challenge and live up to it before the policy makers decide they have to do that for themselves."
Keitch added that the BSi was "arguably the world's best standard setting body", which was the reason the DMA had worked with them in this instance.
For reaction to these standards see next week's PrintWeek magazine.
The standard has been proposed by the British Standards Institute
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Comments
RON O'MEARA - 04 July 2008
I hardly think that scrapping the use of polyfilm is the answer to the problem of waste in the mailing industry but it is about time that mailers actually started to use proper biodegradable products to wrap magazines and journals instead of the normal film that has been around for ages.
I get annoyed when publishers state that they utilise eco friendly wrap, when what the use, plainly isn't anything of the sort.
After all, even normal wrap will degrade eventually !
Notwithstanding the competitive advantage, it's absurd to think that cost has nothing to do with change.
We ( The Spatial Group) have been stocking and offering compostable , potato starched wrap for a while but the extra costs involved just seem to put most prospects off the idea.
If clients were to pay for enhanced products the targets could easily be met.
Maybe if we were forced to change, the costs of eco friendly goods would diminish.
Matthew Parker - 04 July 2008
One issue with biodegradeable wrap is the its key advantage: the fact that it breaks down quickly! It makes buying in bulk for a usage over a number of months very difficult. If Ron or anyone has a good solution to this I would be very interested to learn it.
Matthew Parker
www.printandprocurement.com
RON O'MEARA - 04 July 2008
Matthew,
we have been offered light sensitive film and, as you state, this has very limited shelf life but the compostable wrap that we have lasts indefinitely. It has a slightly yellow tinge to it and our postroom smells a bit like a chip shop when it's on the wrapper but we and our clients are happy with the results.
it is sold by Alfa Plas on 01432 262626. Ask for Ged O'Connor.
Hope this helps.
www.the-spatial-group.com
Mike Hughes - 04 July 2008
I write having read your recent article headlined "Polywrap ban proposed in strict direct mail standards plan".
It seems that you have jumped to a conclusion which is not supported by the facts as biodegradable films are already available as an alternative which overcomes the principal issues and concerns.
The print industry, like many other industries, will need to adapt its products to make them more environmentally friendly, and we have lead the way and have much to promote.
It is therefore as great shame that PrintWeek, who represents the industry, has chosen such a misleading headline!!!!!
The print industry, like many other industries, will need to adapt its products to make them more environmentaly freindly, and we have lead the way and have much to promote.
It is therefore as great shame that PrintWeek, who represents the industry, has chosen such a misleading healine!!!!!
Stuart Smith - 04 July 2008
Setting goals in an effort to improve the environmental credentials of the "direct mail" industry can only be seen as a positive move. However, the market is tough enough as it is without making sweeping statements about simply "banning" all that is deemed as being environmentally unfriendly. Both the DMA & BSi, along with all the other key players in the industry should be focusing their efforts on being "constructive" rather than "destructive" by promoting the development and switch to more environmentally sound products and methods. An example of this would be the use of "starch" based films as mentioned above. These are not only biodegradable/ compostable, but are also from a sustainable source and potentially have either a very low or zero carbon footprint. This would be a far more proactive and positve approach.
Ian Thompson - 06 July 2008
As a print management and DM consultant I have just completed a contract that could, with a modicum of acceptance, provide an alternative solution to much of the issues that arise from the use of polywrap.Surprise surprise though that when you offer clients, who on the surface extol the virtues of environmental awareness and advertise extensive CSR credentials,display considerable reluctance to entertain a solution that could in some instances dispense with the need for polywrap or an envelope altogether?!
Surprise? - No not really because the industry is dominated by contracts with huge print management companies who have suppliers with massive investment in polywrap technology.I think given the press coverage devoted to the supermarket carrier bag and the blight it represents on our landscape more people would want to make the move away from plastic any way. Furthermore add to this the cost of oil based products which will inevitably only rise and it makes sound financial sense too. It is amazing the amount of effort that is put in sourcing paper printing inks processes and suppliers that are environmentally considerate and then that carefully considered product is sent out in plastic !!
German Sausage - 07 July 2008
I have to agree with you Ian. The environmental side is let down by conventional polywrap, even after very good work is done to source environmentally friendly paper/ink/varnishes, etc.
In Germany, the amount of catalogues and magazines sent out 'naked' far outweighs those sent in a plastic bag. The concerns of damage to the catalogue are not valid anymore, with the advent of sophisticated postage sortation systems. If an insert is required, either bind it in, glue it on with a spot of glue onto a text page, or belly wrap the product (with a paper wrap) to secure any loose inserts. If your requiremtns do not fit into these scenarios, then envelope enclosure is a very good option. If all else fails, polywrap, but I suggest using the environmentaly friendly products mentioned earlier in this discussion. It is our job as print professionals to sell the benefits, not to be carried along with the 'normal way' of working.
There are ways of reducing the need for polywrap, providing that both parties have the will to do so, and in the printers case, the means to do so.
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