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KCLS Print Shop Applies for FSC Certification
Motivated by a commitment to ensure the best possible use of natural resources, the King County Library System (KCLS) is applying to have its in-house print shop certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. The certification will verify that print materials produced for our libraries adhere to the highest environmental standards. KCLS may be the first library system to gain this type of certification.
Forest Stewardship Council Standards
A nonprofit organization that advocates for the responsible management of forests,
the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has developed a set of standards to
help ensure that forestry is conducted in an environmentally responsible
manner. An increasing number of businesses and organizations that handle
or process wood products are obtaining certification to show that they adhere
to FSC standards. This essentially helps guarantee that harvesting wood from
forests does not contribute to water pollution or the loss of habitat for
animals, among other concerns. It is important to realize that due to the
high demand for paper in the U.S., only about one-third of the paper supply
is able to be produced with recycled materials. The remainder must be produced
from new fiber.
Why this is Important to KCLS
As the second busiest library system in the U.S., KCLS’ in-house print
shop produces a large number of materials for 43 community libraries. The library
system is currently taking steps to ensure that many practices adhere to green
standards. Called the FSC Chain-of-Custody Certificate, the certification will
assure KCLS patrons and staff that each entity that handles the wood product
is FSC-Certified, from the time it is harvested from the forest until it is
turned into paper and delivered to the KCLS print shop.
The Certification Process
To certify various organizations and businesses, the FSC has identified third-party
certifiers. KCLS will be working with a certifying agency called SmartWood.
The certification process will take about six weeks to complete and the overall
cost is anticipated to not exceed $5,000. The certification process includes
an on-site audit to ensure that a tracking and handling system for the FSC-certified
paper has been established. This requires that a section of the KCLS print
shop is designated for storing FSC-certified paper, to separate it from non-certified
paper. As part of the process, the amount of FSC-certified paper that is
ordered will be increased, the cost of which is comparable to non-certified
paper. The existing stock of non-certified paper will continue to be used
until the supply is depleted. The FSC and SmartWood logos will be printed
on any materials produced with FSC-certified paper.
Other Eco-Friendly Steps
Although not part of the FSC certification process, the ink that is used to
produce many print materials for KCLS libraries contains 20 percent soybean
content, a renewable resource. Also environmentally conscientious was
the purchase of a new press that does not use many of the chemicals associated
with conventional printing and has less paper waste.
Last Updated: April 8, 2008
