proposed sustainability study of printed documents

Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2009. All rights reserved.

A Study in Concept

Sustainability and the Economic Impact of Excess Printed Documents Disposal



IntroductionA majority of industry studies and surveys are based on print producers or print customersThis constrains data to time, cost, materials, energy consumed to produce printMeasures of effectiveness are constrained to marketing response tracking (if evaluated)

What recipients do with delivered print, and any follow-on costs related to selected disposition alternatives, remains either unevaluated or under evaluated


Study Background

Initial questions came from an ongoing study of VDP technology and an analysis of VDP document types

Research for 2 books and an informal year-long study of mail content delivered to the researcher piqued further interest

This research topic remains in a conceptual state until sponsorship and funding can be identified


Hypothesis

Some document production is excessive

Excessive production wastes scarce resources

Excessive production creates unnecessary environmental burdens

Excessive production deflates any economic benefits or advantages that may be realized from the documents produced


SignificanceEnergy production and consumption is a critical issue in sustainability and economic termsCarbon-based resources are increasingly scarceResidual affects from carbon-based consumption appear demonstrable:

Climate change and weatherPolar ice melt and ocean levelsPotential extinction of some plant and animal speciesPotential changes in population distributions and economic activity


Delimitations

No problem solution or policy recommendations

Not an engineering efficiency or process study

Not a cost/benefit or cost/effectiveness study

Not a “document retention” study

Not a study of a single document type

Not a study of “digital vs. offset”

Not a study of “Web or email vs. print”


Document ClassificationBy Disposition:

Use and retainUse and disposeRetain onlyDispose unused

By Type:Static - addressed (specific or general)Variable - personalized beyond addressing

By PurposeAdvertisementBusiness TransactionInformative (newspaper, magazine, newsletter)

By MediaMultipage (multi-page, catalog, journal, bound material)EnvelopedMailer or Postcard


Study ElementsProduction

MaterialsProcessingLabor

DistributionWarehousingTransportationLabor

Disposition (at destination) - refer to prior slideDisposal

TransportationProcessingLabor


Research Questions What is the average percentage of disposed documents in the destination sample?

What is the average production cost of a single document page?

What is the average weight of a single document page?

What is the average disposal cost per pound of document pages?


Questions (continued)What is the estimated delivery cost for the average destination sample?

What is the derived delivery cost for that percentage disposed at destination?

What is calculated weight for that percentage disposed at destination?

What is the calculated collection and processing costs for that percentage disposed at destination?


Methodology

1. Destination sampling

2. Production cost analysis

3. Distribution cost analysis

4. Disposal cost analysis

5. Cost modeling


Expected Results

1. The relative significance or insignificance of excess document production

2.An analytical model and methodology for any warranted follow-on study

3.A baseline for any additional study or further measurement - especially if any mitigation activity is implemented


Potential Follow-onIdentification of potential alternatives to excessive print production Comparative economic analysis to evaluate alternativesComparative policy analysis to evaluate alternativesComparative labor analysis to evaluate alternativesOngoing measurement and tracking if any mitigation activities are implemented


Challenges

Scope of the study

Training for survey participants

Survey design and sampling size determination

Survey execution

Availability of cost data for some study elements


Next Steps

Resolve initial sponsorship and funding

Identify preliminary study team

Identify study facilities and tools

Plan and conduct feasibility study

If feasible, define project plan

proposed sustainability study of printed documents

Business

single document

copyright

percentage

rights reserved

study

destination

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