Converter Waste Disposal Study, 1993 Recycling Symposium Proceedings

Ronald B. Schultz

Much attention has been given by the media to waste management and disposal problems at the post-consumer level but little attention has been given to these issues at the industrial level, particularly as they affect the converting and printing industries. The importance of these issues to the industry is demonstrated by the high response rate to a survey of converters and printers in the U.S. and Canada conducted early in 1992. The extensive, 30 item questionnaire measured the impact of re-use, recycling, source reduction, incineration and land filling on incoming raw material packaging, process scrap, and waste inks, coatings and adhesives. The results of the study indicate that a significant amount of incoming packaging materials are reused in-house or through supplier take-back programs. However, there is very little reuse of excess raw materials and process scrap, most of which is sold to off-site recyclers or removed by paid waste haulers. Disposal of hazardous wastes, such as used inks, coatings, adhesives and wash solvents, is mostly done through specially licensed waste haulers at increasingly high cost. The conclusions drawn from this study suggest that the converting and printing industries are still rather limited in their waste management options but are increasing their efforts in the face of escalating disposal costs and governmental regulations.