GPN-GL14

Ordering Guidelines for

Printing Services
Green Purchasing Network (GPN)

1. Scope
These guidelines cover important environmental issues that should be considered when ordering anoffset printing1 service or digital printing2 service for printed materials. Orderers should use theseguidelines as “a checklist” to facilitate communication with printing service suppliers. Printedmaterials include reports, newspapers, leaflets, catalogues, brochures, paper-made boxes, and sales
promotion materials.
2. How to Use the Guidelines and Checklists
Environmental impacts of printed materials will vary depending on the combination of paper, ink, thenumber of copies, printing methods, and distribution plans. Orderers should use these guidelines andchecklists for ordering printed materials to determine the specification and to select suppliers.

1Offset printing is a printing method in which the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to ablanket, then to the printing surface.
2 Digital printing refers to a plateless printing method using an electrographic system or inkjet method.

3. Selection of suppliers from “Eco-products Net” database and usage of “GPN Printing ServicesLogo”
The Green Purchasing Network (GPN) provides information of printing service suppliers through “Ecoproducts Net (https://www.gpn.jp/econet/)” which is an on-line database that discloses sustainability
information of products and services along the Green Purchasing Guidelines. Besides “Eco-products
Net”, the list of certified factories of “Green Printing Factory Certification” by the Japan Federation ofPrinting Industries should also be referred to for selection of suppliers.
Printed materials that have been ordered in accordance with the GPN-GL 14 (Ordering Guidelines forPrinting Services) may have a “GPN Printing Service Logo”. Any printed material with the logo meansthat the environmental information of the material is disclosed on the GPN website. Should a printing
service supplier use the logo, the supplier needs to send an application to the Secretariat of the GPN
beforehand.
For further information about the logo, please visit the following GPN website.
https://www.gpn.jp/logos/symbol/#logos_symbol_index2

Established April 25, 2002
Revised March 27, 2012
August 2, 2013
Latest Revised June 25 ,2020
By Green Purchasing Network (GPN)Printing Services Checklist for Orderers1. Usage and design of printed materials
Guidelines

Checklist(1) Electronic media should beconsidered in place of printed
media before ordering printedmaterials.

☐Electronic media have adequately been considered as
substitute for printed media.

(2) Size and the number of pages☐Distribution of printed materials has been planned.

and copies should be considered
before printing.

☐The number of copies has been fixed based on thedistribution plan.
☐Standard sized paper is used for the printed materials.

(3) A completed draft should besent to the press to reduce thetimes of the revision.

☐Sending a completed draft to the press is minded andthe first proof is adequately been done to reduce thetimes of the revision.
☐Reprinting for more quality than necessary is avoided.

2. Specifications of printed materials
Guidelines

Checklist

Paper(1) Paper should be selected inaccordance with the Purchasing
Guidelines for “Printing andCopying Papers” (GPN-GL1).

☐Paper is selected in accordance with the Purchasing
Guidelines for “Printing and Copying Papers” (GPN-GL1).

(2) Easily recyclable paper should
be used.

☐Paper meets the rank A in the “recyclability ranking testfor used paper”3.

Inks and toners(3) Easily recyclable inks andtoners should be used.
(4) Inks and toners that emit lessvolatile organic compounds(VOCs) should be used.

☐Inks and toners meet the rank A in the “recyclability
ranking test for used paper”.
Any of the following inks and toners are used.
[Offset Printing]☐Inks that contain more than standard amount ofbiomass and using only a solvent with an aromaticcomponent of less than 1%☐Recyclable UV inks with less than 3% VOCs component☐Non-VOC inks3https://www.jfpi.or.jp/recycle/print_recycle/file/201409recycle_list.pdf

[Digital Printing]☐Toners or inks that contains no VOCs
☐When toners or inks for inkjet printing contain VOCs, adigital printer with a mechanism to suppress VOC
emission to the outside of the machine is used.
(5) Chemical safety of inks andtoners should be confirmed.

[Offset printing]☐Inks conform the “Self-regulation (Negative List) for
Printing Inks” by the Japan Printing Ink Makers
Association.
☐Safety Data Sheet (SDS) is provided for toners and inks.
[Digital printing]For xerographic method with dry toners;☐Any restricted substances under RoHS Directive
2015/863, hazardous substances in the R-phrases
defined in Annex III of European Union Directive
67/548/EEC: Nature of special risks attributed todangerous substances and preparations, hazardous
chemicals with GHS pictograms, and azo dyes have notintentionally been added.
☐Toners have yielded a negative result to the Ames test.
☐SDS is provided for toners.
For xerographic method with wet toners;☐Toners conform the “Self-regulation (Negative List) for
Printing Inks” or meet EU RoHS.
☐SDS is provided for toners and inks.

Surface Processing(6) The necessity of surface
processing (film application andvarnishing) should be considered.

☐Surface processing is unnecessary.
☐Surface processing is necessary. ⇒ Consider guidelines(7) and later.

(7) Easily recyclable surface
processing should be selected.

☐Materials meet the rank A in the “recyclability ranking
test for used paper”.

(8) Surface processing, whennecessary, should emit less VOCs.

☐Vanish contains no petroleum solvents.
☐Coating materials emit less VOCs.
☐Polypropylene coating, when necessary, is used for longterm use and durability of the printed materials.

Binding and other processing(9) Easily recyclable binding andother processing should beconsidered.

☐Materials meet the rank A in the “recyclability ranking
test for used paper”.

(10) Non-paper materials should
be used as little as possible forother attached materials ofbinding, binding tools for acalendar, bound-in supplement,☐Non-paper parts and materials including binding,binding tools for a calendar, bund-in supplement areused.
For the use of non-paper parts and materials,promotional materials, andpackaging.

☐Disposal methods are displayed and the materials areconsidered to be properly disposed.

☐Easily detachment and disposal have been considered.

3. Environmental information
Guidelines

Checklist(1) Recyclability rank based on
the “recyclability ranking test forused paper” should be displayedfor users of printed materials.

☐Recyclability rank has been displayed on the printedmaterials.

(2) Environmental information☐The GPN Printing Services Logo has been applied.

should be displayed.

☐Other logos including GP (Green Printing) logo by theJapan Federation of Printing Industries are displayed forenvironmental information.

(3) CO2 emission from the entire
lifecycle of the printing process
should be assessed and disclosed.

☐CO2 emission from the entire lifecycle of the printing
process is shown as carbon footprint (CFP).

(4) CO2 emission from the entire
lifecycle should be compensatedby using carbon offsets.

☐CO2 emission from the entire lifecycle is compensated byusing carbon offsets.

(5) Green electricity should beused for printing.

☐Electricity for printing is covered by tradable green
certificates, green electricity, and/or privately owned
renewable electricity generation facilities.

4. Selection of suppliers
Guidelines

Checklist(1) Printed materials should beordered to suppliers whoconsider the environment.

☐The supplier has posted its services on “Eco-products
Net” of the GPN.
☐The printing factory has been certified as a “GreenPrinting Factory” by the Japan Federation of Printing

Industries.
☐For suppliers other than those above, the “Checklist ofEnvironmental Practices for Printing Service Suppliers”
has been submitted.