DuPont Packaging Graphics* has published two environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies that show it is possible to reduce non-renewable energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by switching from gravure to flexo printing for packaging.
In its coverage, Packaging News reports that:
The use of flexo process alone results in approximately 50% reduction in both non-renewable energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions when converting flexible packagiing plastic films.
For every one million square meters of printed plastic substrate switched from gravure to flexo, the resulting savings in non-renewable energy would be equivalent to approximately 102.4 litres of gasoline, and savings in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing about 69 typical European passenger cars from the road for one year. (Editor note: Typical European passenger cars are MUCH more fuel-efficient that American cars.)
Get your copy of the Life Cycle Assessment: Flexographic and Rotogravure Printing Comparison from DuPont. You will be asked to register to receive your copy by email.
*Note:
DuPont Packaging Graphics is a global supplier of flexographic printing systems in digital and conventional formats.
