The ecodesign practice in Serbian printing industry

Abstract

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd The article presents a description, analysis and application of the concept of life-cycle analysis on a sample of 35 offset printing companies in Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia) as representative printing technique. The research method implies the creation of modified eco-design checklist based on the ecodesign strategies, which covers all stages of the printed products life cycle, with emphasis on the offset printing. The method of awarding of “smiley” in checklist should encourage the selection of environmentally acceptable alternatives during the production stages. The results indicated that most of the printing companies consider ecodesign concept as an important step of their future environmental improvement. The scientific importance of this research is reflected through the evaluation of the current ecodesign practices. Further, the application of ecodesign checklist in the work of printing is imposed as a necessity for Republic of Serbia in adapting to the international environmental trends and standards.