Making Large Format Printers Environmentally Friendly

We all want to make sure that we’re making our offices and homes more environmentally friendly. HP have been putting lots of measures in place to reduce the impact of their large format printers and ink cartridges on the environment.

Recycled Parts

Disposable plastic cartridges have been a major problem, with around a million of them thrown out per day in 2017.  Focusing on this problem has been a serious concern of the industry over the past decades. HP have developed an “eco-carton” cartridge in response to this. This design uses 100% recycled and recyclable cardboard containers, which can be recycled anywhere. Meanwhile, the inner bag is designed with up to 35% recycled plastic, which can be recycled for free with us.

In order to make sure that less are thrown out, cartridge size has also been increasing. HP have increased the capacity from 775ml to 1 litre, so that the components last longer and therefore need changing less often.

The large format printers themselves are now being designed more and more with recycled plastic. HP are designing printers with up to 37% recycled plastic in the parts, with up to 90% of the machine being recyclable when it comes to the end of its lifespan.

Meanwhile, the DesignJet Studio is net carbon-neutral, with each part of the lifecycle monitored from material extraction, transportation, usage, and end of service.

Certifications

Epeat is the leading ecolabel for technology products. A product rated by it is designed to reduce environmental impact not just when it runs, but throughout its entire life cycle, from design to recycling.

The organisation specifies 23 required criteria, and 28 additional optional criteria. They’re designed to show that a product is less toxic, longer lasting, easy to recycle, and more energy efficient.

Some of these industry-wide respected criteria are a lack of toxic substances, making sure that materials are recycled and recyclable, lifespan of the product, energy efficiency, and packaging design.

The HP Designjet T200 series is Gold rated, giving you peace of mind about its environmental credentials.

Tips

One great tip to manage paper waste is, before embarking on a long print run, to print one page first, in order to check your source file and your large format printer are both working properly.

Programs are now being included as part of the purchase of your large format printer in order to get the best out of them. These applications are simple to install and can be updated easily, in order to keep them compatible with the latest software in a fast-changing environment.

HP Click is designed to make printing fast, simple, and with a focus on reducing waste. With tools like auto-orientation, error checking, and an enhanced print preview, you’re much less likely to create waste and come up against errors that disrupt your workflow.

Attitudes are changing, and McKinsey research shows that sustainability is “highly important” for about 40 percent of European consumers. The large format printing industry has its part to play in meeting that need, with a greater focus on recycling and recyclability being put in across the systems lifecycle.

Get in touch with us at Design Supply to talk about how we can help your business achieve the lowest carbon footprint possible.