As a leader in outdoor print, many clients have asked us about “Eco” vinyl products. My first word of advice is to question any product that carries a moniker such as “Eco” or “Bio”, whether its vinyl, soapsuds, or hybrid cars.

Products like Polyethylene and Polypropylene, also known as Polyolefin’s, need an ink receptive coating and reinforcement to make them remotely viable for printing, which makes them undesirable to recycle. In addition, The Association of Plastic Manufacturers of Europe, known to be more aggressive than the EPA, states that Polyolefin’s use more non-renewable energy to make (petroleum) and emit more greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide) in production than PVC. PVC is not without its problems, and as far as we are concerned, none of the vinyl products available in the market today offer acceptable sustainability solutions.

We are meeting this issue head on. We have met with our vendors to develop alternatives and are researching natural plastics derived from organic matter. We participate in various trade associations to help drive discussion and seek best practices. We have analyzed the life cycle of all our products, and have been aggressively recycling all post-consumables, including packing materials, office and industrial supplies and have reduced our use of vinyl by 38%, switching to lighter weight substrates. In addition, we support our communities with various public service campaigns; Leukemia and Lymphoma Foundation, St Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Children’s Bureau and the American Cancer Society. We also support the arts with the creation of our Outdoor and the Arts program, giving local artists a voice through visual communication.

MMT will not slap “Eco” on a product, and then proceed with the same operational practices. We are changing from within by reducing consumption and seeking long term sustainable alternatives. To design a recycling program that best fits your needs or to offer suggestions and comments, send us an email at react@mmt.com.