Irish publishers commit to greening operations

The Environment Standards for the Press Industry (ESPI) is the product of negotiations between government, publishers and retailers.

Its focus is on waste and recycling but it also has other environmental benchmarks.

The thinking behind the initiative is that by bring economies of scale to bear and establishing a level playing field, the industry as a whole can make bigger and more efficient improvements than if each individual company worked alone to reduce its impact.

Environment Minister John Gormley said: “This marks the culmination of much discussion, negotiation and hard work on the part of publishers, wholesalers, distributers and retailers These Environmental Standards show what can be achieved when the elements within a sector work together for the common good.

“The final result is greater than that which could be achieved by the individual

parts.”

Paper constitutes a significant portion of biodegradable waste generated in Ireland.

Major strides have been made in recent years in the recovery and recycling of newsprint.

This progress has been achieved through the work of those throughout the supply chain, those in the waste management and recycling industries, and most importantly, through the commitment to recycling displayed by the public.

Sam Bond