EMAS – The EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
Cambrian Printers are delighted announce their achievement of the EMAS environmental standard. The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary EC Regulation with a key aim of encouraging organisations to manage their impact on the environment and to publicly report progress on their environmental performance. Within EMAS, there is huge potential to minimise environmental impacts and this very much in the company’s ethos of sustainable production.
At Cambrian Printers a genuine concern for reducing our environmental impact is at the core of what we do. In production this means printing using vegetable based inks (generally soya), running our presses alcohol free, and using chemical free plate processing. We are also continually striving to eliminate waste in every process. In 2010 alone we reduced our landfill waste by 25% (8 tonnes).
Robert Read, Chairman of Cambrian Printers said that “The EMAS award coincides with the launch of our Product stewardship commitment, which is yet further evidence of the importance of reducing environmental impacts of our products”.
We have also introduced shrink wrapping, which massively lessens packaging weight, thus, reducing the carbon footprint and maximizing density in delivery. Also, for any given packaging type, no other form of packaging uses less resources and energy. It is easily recycled – less weight and less mass.
Martin Koffer, Commercial Manager said “As the only Welsh printer and one of half a dozen print companies nationwide to hold EMAS we see this not just as an internal success but as something that can benefit our customers.”
A key aim of the EMAS standard is to distinguish those companies that go beyond minimum legal compliance and continuously improve their environmental performance. It was therefore perfect for Cambrian Printers to demonstrate its commitment to the environment.
EMAS calls for maintenance of an effective environmental management system which ensures that an environmental policy is available, that objectives, targets and programmes are set to improve environmental performance and the communication of such to ensure continuous improvement as a whole.
In our annual Integrated Review, which is externally verified and publicly available on the company website – we’ve chosen some practical and challenging objectives and targets to ensure continuous improvements in 2011 and beyond.
Though this accreditation can be thought of as the culmination of ten years work since our first formal steps to quantify and decrease the negative aspects of our manufacturing process through an environmental management system. It is in fact the springboard for further investment in sustainable production. The next decade will see no diminishing of the environmental emphasis. The future is green at Cambrian Printers.
Aim
Continual improvements in environmental performance
Means
We evaluate, report and improve environmental performance
Outcomes
Better management of environmental issues and credible information on these issues
Find out more about our environmental credentials
Find out more about EMAS
