Book Industry Environmental Council(BIEC)

By:

Bill Upton, Malloy, Inc

Gary Jones, Printing Industries of America

Origin & Mission Founded June 2008 by Green Press Initiative (GPI) Coordinated by GPI and Book Industry Study

Group (BISG) Mission: Follow through on opportunities for

environmental improvements identified in the March 2008 report: Environmental Trends and Climate Impacts, Findings

from the U.S. Book Industry Published jointly by BISG and GPI

BIEC Membership

AbitibiBowater Edwards Brothers Glatfelter International Paper Lindenmeyr Malloy Maple-Vail

Midland Paper NewPage RR Donnelley Sheridan Books Thomson-Shore Webcom Xerox

BMI Members

BIEC Membership

Bethany Press McNaughton & Gunn Pinnacle Press

Other Book Manufacturers

BIEC Membership

Baker Publishing Group

Chelsea Green Chronicle Books Continuum Int’l Hachette HarperCollins Hyperion

McGraw-Hill Northern Illinois Univ.

Press Pearson Random House Rodale Scholastic Simon & Schuster Sterling Publishing

Publishers

BIEC Membership

Andrew Van Der Laan Am. Assoc. of

University Presses Am. Library Assoc. Am. Booksellers Assoc. Anderson

Merchandisers Book Industry Study

Group

Bookbuilders West Borders Canopy Cascades Eco Libris Green Press Initiative Melcher Media New Leaf Paper Sam’s Club

Other Groups & Individuals

4 Major Initiatives1. Establish Climate Goals

• 20% industry reduction in CO2 emissions 2006 to 2020

• 80% industry reduction in CO2 emissions 2006 to 2050

2. Track Industry Progress on Environmental Goals• Annually survey all segments of industry supply chain• Obtain responses from 75% market share for each segment

3. Publisher Certification & Eco-labeling• Certify environmental practices of publishers• Certified publishers can print eco-label in all their books• Certification based on point system and documented avoidance

of use of fiber coming from endangered forests

4. Reduce Returns & Keep Books Out of Landfills• Just getting underway

Eco-Labeling Project

BIEC Eco Label

Awards certification to publishers for use on product

Certification based on scorecard and endangered forest requirements

Three tiers of certification

Documentation will be required to prove publisher claims

Scorecard 22 metrics divided into 5 broad categories

3 Levels of Eco-Label Certification

Certification Level

Points Required

(out of 1,000)

% Fiber Proven as Non-Endangered

Forest*

Upper 400 95%

Middle 500 85%

Lower 600 80%

*One proposed amendment would require 100% of fiber be proven as comingfrom non-endangered forests for all certification levels. A small allowance(up to 5%) could be granted for specific circumstances, such as when verification is not possible.

What Qualifies for EF Requirement Recycled Fiber (pre or post-consumer)

Agricultural residue or on-purpose crop fiber (kenaf, bagasse, hemp, cotton, etc.)

FSC certified papers

Fiber that meets the controlled wood standard

Paper with CoC documentation showing it is not sourced from a region with endangered forests

Content of Book PaperI. Content of Book Paper Possible Points

(% of total)

a. Postconsumer Content 225 (22.5%)

b. 3rd Party Certification 175 (17.5%)

c. Preconsumer Content 50 (5.0%)

d. Papers Made With Renewable Energy

25 (2.5%)

e. Use of Agricultural Residue or Alternative Fiber

25 (2.5%)

Total 500 (50%)

Reducing Paper WasteII. Reducing Paper Waste Possible Points

(% of total)

a. Scrapped/Discarded Books 85 (8.5%)

b. Reducing Returns 75 (7.5%)

c. Basis Weight Reduction 60 (6.0%)

d. Use of Office Paper 10 (1%)

Total 230 (23%)

Minimizing Climate ImpactsIII. Minimizing Climate Impacts Possible Points

(% of total)

a. Transportation 53 (5.3%)

b. Heating and Cooling 45 (4.5%)

c. Renewable Energy 25 (2.5%)

d. Efficient Lighting 20 (2.0%)

e. Carbon Offsets 7 (0.7%)

Total 150 (15%)

Toxics and Pollution Prevention

IV. Toxics and Pollution Prevention Possible Points (% of total)

a. Bleaching Process 40 (4.0%)

b. Volatile Organic Compounds 30 (3.0%)

Total 70 (7%)

Corporate Policies and Goals

V. Corporate Policies and Goals Possible Points (% of total)

a. Goals for Recycled Content 18 (1.8%)

b. Goals for Certified Fiber 13 (1.3%)

c. Goals for Reducing Climate Impacts 10 (1.0%)

d. Preference for ECF/PCF/TCF Bleaching

3 (0.3%)

e. Preference for Low VOC Inks 3 (0.3%)

f. Transparency of Policy 3 (0.3%)

Total 50 (5%)

Verification Publishers will be required to submit

documentation verifying claims including Letters from suppliers 3rd party certification Receipt/invoices Internal documentation Signed statements for some lower value items

GPI approved to be initial certifier A portion of certifications will be audited by 4th

party to ensure integrity

BMI/PIA CommentsPoint Assignment Approach

No clear basis for weighting each aspect Use of PCW fiber is worth up to 230 points vs

preventing pollution and the use of toxics only worth up to 70 points

Unclear why FSC certification worth almost twice as many points as SFI, CSA, or PEFC certification

No reasoning for the distribution of points for various types of renewable energy used by mills

What is the basis for alternative fiber point value No definition of alternative fiber

BMI/PIA CommentsPoint System Approach

The point system may be counterproductive Three levels may cause confusion for consumers No incentive for publishers to move up Tiers

Publishers may be discriminated against for only achieving the lower levels of certification

Publishers may drop down a tier through no fault of their own

For example, a supplier going out of business or discontinuing the manufacture of a particular product

BMI/PIA CommentsRecycled Fiber Content

Scorecard does not recognize limitations exist in use of recycled fiber for various types of sheets and applications

Scorecard should be modified to reflect limitations High levels of recycled content in coated papers

cause weakness and unsmooth surfaces High point levels for recycled content may be

unachievable in certain publishing markets El-Hi market MSST requires specific strength levels

BMI/PIA CommentsRecycled Fiber Content

Difficult to achieve high bulk and low basis weight with high levels of recycled content

Difficult to achieve high levels of recycled content for sheeted paper than roll paper

Digital printing devices are limited in the sheets they can run Some require special surface treatments not

compatible with the use of recycled fiber

BMI/PIA Comments

Recycled Fiber Content High levels of recycled content can cause

insufficient paper strength for withstanding binding

processes that require puncturing the paper Smyth sewing and saddle stitching

BMI/PIA CommentsClimate Impact

Scorecard awards 25 points if 80% of a publisher’s books are printed within 100 miles of its book distribution center.

It is not logical to single out this leg of the book distribution process over all others.

We recommend awarding points for printing in North America and avoiding trans-oceanic shipments.

BMI/PIA CommentsToxics and Pollution Prevention

Scorecard awards up to 40 points for the use of TCF, PCF, or EECF bleaching.

Insufficient capacity at North American mills using these bleaching processes to serve this industry.

Unclear as to why is ECF bleaching not included as an acceptable process

ECF has reduced releases of dioxins to non-detectable levels.

BMI/PIA CommentsToxics and Pollution Prevention

Scorecard awards up to 30 points for the use of inks containing less than 5% VOC content.

Only dry toners and vegetable based CMYK inks for sheetfed printing can currently achieve this level.

Inks for other printing processes (e.g. nonheatset or heatset web, ink jet, flexo) and spot color inks can not achieve a VOC level of 5% or less.

VOC content is not the same as VOC emissions.

Status of Eco-Labeling Project

BIEC Response to Comments October 20, 201 full meeting of BEIC 11 amendments on eco-labeling program were up for vote Question raised: “Do we want to proceed with this

structure?” Concerns mentioned:

Are we creating “logo confusion”? BIEC, FSC, SFI, recycled, recyclable, etc. Will consumers understand it is the publisher, not the book,

that is certified? Will publishers view the criteria as too complex and burdensome

to apply for certification? Compliance with FTC guidelines

Published a draft of its revised “Green Guide” on 10/6/10 with public comment period ending 12/10/10.

Will BIEC’s program conform to the new guidelines?

BIEC Response to Comments Ambiguous result of vote on proceeding

More than half of members abstained Since certification is for publishers, should this question

be decided by just the publishers? More members voted in favor than against Publishers were evenly split, for and against

Decision Table the project for now, while:

BIEC executive committee gets input from publishers not present at 10/20/10 meeting

Wait to see requirements coming from FTC on “green” labeling