Green Bill Would Benefit Print Buyers
WASHINGTON, DC—At the Legislative Intensive Session, held during the ninth annual Print Oasis Print Buyers Conference this week, print buyers from a variety of organizations came together to learn about a proposed bill that could aid in the printing industry's economic recovery and promote environmental sustainability.
The “Print Buyer’s Reduction in Taxes Bill of 2010 (PRINT),” which was presented to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, is said to offer print buyers a credit against income tax for the completion of sustainable print projects. If passed, a print buyer will qualify for the credit if the project meets at least 13 out of the 15 sustainability requirements outlined in the bill.
PRINT limits the tax cut a print buyer can take to no more than 25 percent of their federal taxes, in keeping with congressional standards for tax incentives. To qualify for the credit, a print buyer must spend $100,000 or above on general print projects in the taxable year.
Among the other requirements:
• Materials used in the print project must be recyclable.
• The project cannot include inks that contain heavy metals, such as metallics and fluorescents, scratch off devices, foils, plastic polystyrenes and/or polyesters.
• The job must contain language that encourages the reader to recycle the printed piece.
• The paper or substrate must contain more than 25 percent post-consumer waste for coated paper stock and 50 percent post-consumer waste for uncoated paper stock.
