It's Time To Get Into The Sustainability Game

In the ever-evolving regulatory landscape, sustainability has become more than just a buzzword — it is now a critical driver of accountability, innovation, ang long-term business success. Because printing operations are part of their customer's supply chain, the days of being on the side lines and insulated from the need to address sustainability are quickly ending. At one time, sustainability was on the fringe, and now it has become mainstream. It's part of the everyday conversations occurring with businesses and the public and it impacts printing operations at many different levels.

Sustainability, as framed by the UN Brundtland Report of 1987, emphasizes development that must meet present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet their needs. This framework, built on the three pillars of People, Planet, and Profit, serves as a guide for businesses aiming to balance social responsibility, environmental impact, and economic viability. These pillars form the foundation of a Circular Economy (CE), where the goal is not just to reuse products but to create systems where materials are continuously cycled, reducing waste and resource consumption.

Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals have emerged as a key metrics for evaluating corporate sustainability, especially for publicly traded companies. ESG ratings go beyond operational factors covering entire supply chains and are designed to assess risks and opportunities across ESG criteria. These metrics reflect a company’s sustainability efforts and reveal potential risks and growth opportunities. However, there is not a universal ranking system for ESG which has made standardization a major challenge.

Being Accountable for Sustainability

Sustainability is increasingly being shaped by accountability measures. Governments are ramping up legislation around greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reporting, with California leading the charge with bills such as SB-253 and SB-261, signed into law in 2023. These new laws require companies with significant operations in California to begin disclosing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2026, followed by Scope 3 (emissions from the value chain) in 2027. As part of the broader effort to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, these policies reflect the growing urgency of climate action, with the goal of preventing global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. In this climate of increasing scrutiny, businesses must be prepared to prove their sustainability claims. This goes beyond reducing emissions; it involves transparency in reporting and a willingness to undergo third-party audits to validate claims.

A critical component of the sustainability discussion is Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), a policy framework that places the burden of managing the end-of-life of products, including recycling and disposal, squarely on producers. EPR is gaining traction in the U.S., with states like Maine, California, and Oregon passing packaging-focused legislation. The idea behind EPR is to incentivize producers to design products with sustainability in mind, minimizing waste and promoting recyclability. However, the lack of harmonization between states poses significant challenges for companies operating across multiple jurisdictions. Each state can have its own rules regarding which products are covered, compliance timelines, and reporting requirements. This patchwork of regulations complicates efforts to establish consistent sustainability practices, increasing administrative burdens and making it harder for companies to scale their initiatives nationally.

Regulatory Challenges

Another pressing challenge for the printing industry is the increasing regulation of chemicals used in packaging and inks. States such as New York and New Jersey have introduced legislation banning substances such as carbon black, citing toxicity concerns. However, carbon black in printing inks has been confirmed as non-toxic by multiple authoritative bodies, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which oversees Prop 65, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). Research has shown that toxicity risks associated with carbon black only arise when it is in powder form, not when it is bound within a matrix, like ink. PRINTING United Alliance has been actively advocating against these broad legislative bans and is meeting with success as New York has dropped the ban on carbon black in packaging. The Alliance has been emphasizing that such measures overlook science and could lead to serious unintended consequences for the industry. The Alliance efforts have focused on ensuring that regulations are based on accurate data, and protecting both environmental goals and the operational viability of printing businesses.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have also been in the spotlight of regulatory activity. PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals commonly used for their water- and grease-resistant properties. They can be found in apparel, textiles, food packaging, and in some ink systems. Often referred to as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down easily, PFAS have been linked to serious health issues. At least 22 U.S. states have already banned “deliberately added” PFAS in products, and federal action is ramping up as well. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified PFAS as chemicals of special concern, which removes the "de minimis exemption" that previously allowed small concentrations to go unreported. This shift means that manufacturers must now report even trace amounts of PFAS, significantly tightening the regulatory environment for packaging producers.

Another chemical issue facing the printing industry is the presence of inadvertent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in certain pigments and inks. While PCBs have been banned for decades due to their toxicity, trace amounts of these chemicals can still be produced inadvertently during the manufacturing process of some pigments. This has led to growing regulatory pressure to limit or eliminate even these small concentrations from packaging materials. In response, Washington State introduced legislation in 2023 that mandates the regulation of inks and paints containing inadvertent PCBs. The law initially proposed banning inks with chlorinated pigments, which would have severely impacted the printing industry. However, following a strong advocacy effort by The Alliance, the legislation was amended to drop the ban and to require a petition be submitted to the EPA to revise the TSCA (Toxic Substances Control Act) limits for inadvertent PCBs. The petition was submitted, and EPA denied the request to initiate revising the existing limits, which are already very stringent, and testing has indicated no inks exceed it.

Beyond U.S. borders, international regulations are shaping the future of sustainability. In Canada, new proposals target waste in the textile industry, while the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), and Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) establish rigorous sustainability requirements for products imported into the European market. These laws demand full transparency in sourcing, recycling, and durability, placing additional pressure on global supply chains.

As sustainability becomes more mainstream, companies must be careful not to overstate or falsely advertise their green credentials — a practice known as greenwashing. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is currently revising its Green Guides, which provide standards for companies making environmental claims. These updates are expected to offer clearer definitions for terms like "sustainable" and "recyclable" to ensure companies are transparent and accountable in their environmental marketing.

The future of sustainability reporting will extend beyond net-zero commitments, with a growing focus on Scope 3 (indirect emissions) and Scope 4 (avoided emissions). Avoided emissions refer to the reductions that occur outside of a product’s lifecycle but are still linked to its use, such as energy-efficient technologies that reduce overall demand for resources. Reporting on these emissions will become a key part of future corporate sustainability efforts.

Furthermore, biodiversity and human rights are emerging as hot topics in the sustainability landscape. Gen Z, the generation most influenced by the digital age and climate anxiety, is driving demand for accountability and purpose-driven business practices. This demographic makes purchasing and employment decisions based on a company’s environmental and social impact, further underscoring the need for businesses to stay ahead of sustainability trends.

As evidenced by legislative and regulatory activity, sustainability is no longer just a market-driven action but a regulatory necessity. As regulatory requirements increase and consumer expectations evolve, businesses must embrace sustainability as a core component of their strategy. For the printing industry, sustainability presents a chance to rethink how products are designed, manufactured, and disposed of, offering new paths toward long-term success. By proactively embracing these changes, printing companies can position themselves as industry leaders, offering cutting-edge, sustainable solutions that meet customer demands and regulatory standards.

In this article, Sara Osorio, Coordinator, EHS Affairs, PRINTING United Alliance, summarizes her 2024 PRINTING United Expo Education Session. More information about this and other sustainability issues can be found at https://www.printing.org/library/business-excellence/environmental-health-safety/safety-health, or reach out to Sara directly if you have questions about how these issues may affect your business: sosorio@printing.org. 

To become a member of the Alliance and learn more about how our subject matter experts can assist your company with services and resources such as those mentioned in this article, please contact the Alliance membership team: 888-385-3588 / membership@printing.org.