Sustainability: bigger than nature results at Roskoplast

Some 35 people, 632 tons of transformed material last year, of which 395 tons of PVC and 237 tons of APET* - Roskoplast can be considered as an industrial champions in terms of environmental impact.

“We’ve begun to implement in-depth change on all production levels, through both employees and materials used,” explains Jean-Luc Vidal, Roskoplast’s plant director.

“In 2004 we decided to start using UV inks and progressively eliminate solvent-based inks. The result is that the former now represent 60% of our production. In 2008 we obtained the Imprim’Vert® label. While in the past we used 3,000 cubic meters of water per year, this number has fallen to 300 cubic meters. In terms of electrical consumption, in five years we’ve cut our bill by 21% (we replaced air conditioning with a cooling system that uses much less energy, drying time was cut thanks to the UV inks etc.).”

For transformed materials, the company has been progressively using more APET [1], and notably APET from recycled water bottles instead of PVC. “APET is more environmentally friendly—in 2004 we used 96 tons, while in 2008, we used 237 tons. Since the beginning of this year, the engineers changed a good part of the inks, replacing them with less environmentally noxious inks including those that are vegetable-based,” Jean-Luc Vidal comments.

“In addition we began to think long and hard about the packaging we produce, he notes. This has created the very first eco-conceived transparent box. Thanks to cleverly placed reinforcements the pack’s thickness has been greatly reduced. The result is that Roskoplasts proposes folding boxes made from 85% of regenerated PET, with carbon balance 25% lower than a same size plastic box and with 40% less material! This concept, which is now available on the market is being patented.”

In conclusion, to better meet the current regulations, the company is working to obtain SD 21000 certification.