A few decades ago, the printing industry was often held up as a model of ecological waste.

It took thousands of trees to print a single edition of a major metropolitan newspaper. Petroleum-based ink and other chemicals created hazardous waste.

Technological innovations and new industry practices in the last 20 years, however, are changing that perception.

These days, newsprint is made from recycled paper. Ink is made from organic materials like soybean oil. The use of chemicals has been reduced. And papers like The Vicksburg Post have partnered with local groups to recycle and reuse waste paper.

All of it is slowly transforming a business that depends on the environment into one that’s friendlier to it.

“We’re always looking for ways to cut waste or find materials that are more environmentally conscious,” said The Post’s publisher Tim Reeves. “Our newsprint is 100 percent recycled. It’s pretty much the industry standard, but it’s still a wise thing to have.”

The newspaper industry still requires a lot of raw material to function. Reeves said The Vicksburg Post, a modest-sized daily publication, uses as much as 50,000 pounds of newsprint a month. Ink is delivered via a tanker truck and pumped into a holding tank on site.

There’s also waste. During the printing process, several hundred unreadable newspapers roll off the press before the ink sets into the printing plates.

To make use of the waste, The Vicksburg Post has had a long-standing partnership with Midd-West to donate paper for recycling. Other papers are donated to animal shelters or packaging companies for filler.

“We try to find every reason not to throw away an old newspaper,” Reeves said.

On the technology side, new processes have eliminated many of the chemicals the industry once bought in bulk. The soybean-based ink is more environmentally friendly. Digital cameras have eliminated the need for photo processing chemicals.

“The ink we use is all soybean-based. Years ago, it was petroleum-based. Technology has provided us the ability to do so to where it’s renewable materials,” Reeves said.

The next evolution of the newspaper industry might not involve newspaper at all. Online editions delivered to digital devices are already emerging as the primary delivery method in some cities.

Reeves said there are no plans for The Vicksburg Post to go that route, but he was excited about what the future holds when it comes to streamlining operations and cutting waste.

“When you think about what’s happened in the last 10 years, and what could happen in the next decade to make things more streamlined and environmentally conscious, it’s amazing,” Reeves said. “Hopefully we’re always printed on paper. We’re going to continue to look for sources that let us make the best product possible.”