Gulf News makes an effort to save environment

Dubai: The impact of the printing and publishing industry on the environment is a well-documented fact. By the very nature of its products, deforestation is a result.

As nearly 99 per cent of the world uses the same conventional printing method, the damage is universal. However, small steps eventually lead to a giant leap and Gulf News recognises this need for corporate responsibility.

"All waste and returns of newspaper copies from Gulf News' press are collected and sold to vendors, who sell it to recycling plants," explained Dean du Toit, Production Manager for Gulf News.

The organisation also uses recycled paper for its printing needs.

"In conventional printing, after four or five uses, the strength of the recycled paper is very poor. At that point we have to introduce some virgin fibre recipe to strengthen it," explains du Toit. The newspaper is constantly working to find a safer, better answer.

Many chemicals are produced in the printing processes, which consume approximately 10,000 litres of water per day. "We do not let the chemical waste enter the municipal drainage system. We collect it in special drums to be disposed of in a safe manner.

"The majority of printing plants around the world use the same conventional process as we do, hence they would produce similar types of waste, it would only be the quantities that would vary," he says.