Manchester Area Resource Centre Limited (MARC the printers)

At marc we try to reduce negative impacts on the environment to a minimum. Our soya ink print process uses digital machines called Risographs. This process avoids all the worst aspects of the printing procedure. The ink is soya-based and contains none of the solvents that cause volatile organic emissions. There is no waste ink, no fixers, no wash downs, no disposable aluminium plates. The Risograph printer uses very little energy as there is no heat involved - it is a wet ink process. All of the waste paper that we (or our DIY customers!) produce is re-used as scrap for the machines and then graded for recycling by a local company - Emerge. We are able to print on A4 and A3 size paper and so the waste associated with the use of oversized stock is kept to a minimum. Community groups, not for profits, become a member get 5% discount. Marc is managed by a committee elected annually from within the membership.