One way of recycling newspaper and cardboard is to compost it. This is recommended in the UK by the Centre for Alternative Technology, who did a lot of experimentation on organic composting methods. In the UK, however, newspapers are printed with non-toxic vegetable-based inks. Being as we're forward thinking (and nuclear free) here in NZ, I'm hoping newspaper and cardboard are free from nasty additives here, too.
Anyone know anything about this?
Pete.
Replies
I've called Dompost and they sent me this email... Which is kind of encouraging but still doesn't make me 100% confident in their DIC inks. Or are they safe enough?
DIC inks supplied for Coldset printing in New Zealand do not contain any ingredient that requires them to be labellled as a hazard to humans or the environment.
As a member of the DIC group we adhere to the principles of Coating Care and our internal Corporate Social Responsibility policy.
We are an active member of CEPE and EuPIA and adhere to their General Exclusion list - this means we do not use pigments based on Heavy Metal as defined by CONEG.
As a company and industry we have co-operated with studies regarding the impact of our products in subsequent composting of printed paper. I'm pleased to say that even under extreme test conditions (high ink coverage and 50% printed paper content) in a vegetable, garden and fruit waste compost the results were that this did not adversly affect the composting process. I attach a statement the European colleagues issued regarding this work.
Thanks for the really useful information and evidence!