Make a difference with finished form
Use aqueous sealers
Traditionally sealers have been oil based and contained solvents. Publishing managers now have the option of specifying aqueous sealers. They have less toxicity than oil based sealers, have no carcinogenic properties and some are suitable for use on food packaging (ie, they meet very high health standards). Aqueous sealers dry almost instantly meaning the printer can start working on the publication (trimming, folding etc.) straight away. Oil based sealers can take several hours to dry.
Avoid hot glue melts where practicable
In smaller documents (less than 60 pages) avoid the hot glue melts used in perfect binding by selecting another type of binding, eg, saddle stitching or wire binding. Hot glue melts can cause problems in the recycling process as glue particles can attach themselves to the machine or become imbedded in the paper/product itself. However, in publications larger than 60 pages a hot glue melt may be necessary.
Avoid plastic lamination
Avoid plastic lamination unless it is necessary to prolong the life of a document, poster or display. Laminating a document prevents recycling at the end of its life. If you are going to laminate there are different weights of coating. Try to use the lightest one that suits your purpose.
Avoid the use of PVC and other non-recyclable material for covers
Avoid the use of PVC plastic for bindings, binders, folders and/or packaging. The PVC is not recyclable. If possible use covers that have a recycled content. If using tape/paper binding avoid colours.
