A system called Recomasys has been designed to reduce the costs associated with waste disposal.

Fujifilm product support manager Steve Cookman said Recomasys works by collecting waste from the processor, which is then treated with an additive solution to lower its pH level.

The treated solution is then blended with wash water from the processor to create an effluent which can be washed down the drain.

With the number of hazardous landfills set to plunge dramatically in 2004, Recomasys is one of the first environmental initiatives to enable printers to treat their waste streams on-site.

Cookman said that Recomasys could be built to order, depending on firms requirements. Units range from between 5,000-6,000, but most users have taken the unit on a loan basis, he said.

The unit fits under a processor and is able to store the development baths from three individual processors.

Recomasys, which works with thermal, violet and photopolymer plate processors, has been installed at seven plants in the UK.

Story by Andy Scott