|
|
|
About NWPSC | Products | Policies & Legislation | Library | Calendar | Contact | Search |
 |
 |
 ProductsElectronic Equipment and Product StewardshipGreen Purchasing Rating System for Computers and PeripheralsThis report summarizes existing eco-label and certification systems for computers and peripherals. The report attempts to determine if any of the labels are available on products for sale in the United States and whether any incorporate life-cycle assessment approaches. Interested purchasers can ask their suppliers to provide certified products or equivalents and can check with the labeling and certification entities for additional details and, in some cases, lists of certified products. Rating Systems in the U.S.
The Green Electronics Council has expanded EPEAT to include new tools for IT equipment resellers and distributors. The EPEAT Reseller Partner Program offers IT channel resellers access to EPEAT resources to help them support customers looking for green IT solutions. It grants resellers and distributors access to the rating system to let potential customers know where a particular piece of IT equipment ranks in EPEAT's green spectrum. As part of the program, partners will also be allowed to post up-to-date EPEAT information on their Web site and online sales portals, as well as receive training and other support services from EPEAT. To qualify for registration as an EPEAT product, the product must conform to all the required criteria. Manufacturers may pick and choose among the optional criteria to boost their EPEAT “rating” to achieve a higher level. Criteria include:
A presentation from August 2006 on EPEAT is available in either PDF (PDF file, 779KB) or PowerPoint (PPT file, 7.4MB) format. Visit the EPEAT website for a list of products that have qualified under EPEAT's rating system. International Labels or Certification Programs Applicable to Products for Sale in the U.S.
The Guide to Greener Electronics was first introduced in August 2006 and continues to be updated in order to track the progress of each manufacturer. See How the Companies Line Up to view the current position of each manufacturer and read about how the companies were rated. Learn more about toxic electronics from Greenpeace as well as the criteria used to rank manufacturers (PDF file, 103KB).
These techniques include life-cycle impact assessment, supplemented by information from other scientific studies such as Environmental Impact Assessment, Risk Assessment, and Environmental Resource-based studies, and knowledge about best available technologies and practices in a given industry. Examples of attributes that have been certified for various products include:
Only one attribute, ozone-depleting chemicals, has been applied to electronics so far. Currently, about 24 electronics products have been certified as containing no ozone-depleting chemicals. Of these only a few are monitors, printed circuit boards, and a few computer units of Taiwanese manufacture.
ECMA members include major computer software and hardware manufacturers. The US actively participates in ECMA. ECMA's environmental efforts reside primarily with Technical Committee 38, Product-Related Environmental Attributes. The scope of TC 38 is, according to their web site, "To identify and describe the environmental attributes related to Information and Communication Technology and Consumer Electronics products during their entire life cycle, from conception to end-of-life treatment." ECMA publications include the 2004 Technical Report TR/70, Product-Related Environmental Attributes which was harmonized with the IT-ECO declaration into the 2006 Standard ECMA-370: The Eco Declaration (TED). TED includes two voluntary declarations: one on the company environmental profile and one on the product environmental attributes, which incorporate the company criteria such as recycling system participation and environmental policy systems and the following environmental product attributes:
TCO has about 50% market penetration world wide, 100% in northern Europe, and about 35% in US. According to a US representative for TCO, the program is strongest for computer monitors. At present too few computers and printers qualify in the US to be a useful tool. All qualifying products tend to be high end products. TCO has looked at life cycle analysis, but their main focus has been on workplace safety. They seek to work and harmonize with other standards bodies/organizations (such as ISO, EnergyStar) on other environmental aspects, such as energy and life cycle. Search for TCO labeled products. Canadian Labels or Certification Programs
Several printer manufacturers have received certification including Canon Canada Inc., Hewlett Packard, Kyocera Mita Canada, Ltd., Lexmark Canada Inc., Ricoh Canada Inc., Sharp Electronics of Canada Ltd, and Xerox Canada Ltd. Neither computers nor monitors have received certification. Search for EcoLogo certified products. European Labels or Certification Programs
Germany's Blue Angel certification for computers is primarily concerned with waste avoidance and reuse potential. The criteria for awarding the Blue Angel include:
Once approved, eco-labeled products are reviewed every two or three years to reflect state-of-the-art developments in ecological technology and product design.
The criteria for co-labeling include requirements for the composition of the product, construction, materials, chemicals, marking of parts, waste disposal, recycling, energy consumption, noise level, ergonomics, electromagnetic fields and safety of use. The criteria have been fixed taking into account the environmental load during the whole life cycle of the product and the principles of the scheme for recyclable products (DfR - Design for Recycling). As with other products carrying the Swan label, main criteria for computers include attention to the product's impact on the environment from the raw material to waste. The product must be at least as good as similar products on the market. For the personal computer product group, defined as consisting of a monitor, system unit and keyboard, the criteria focus on:
The label is usually valid for three years, after which the criteria are revised and the company must reapply for a licence. A small number of personal computers have received the label. For more information, search for Swan Labeled products or see the Swan Labeling Criteria.
The criteria for personal and portable computers focus on:
Search for EU Eco-label products. Other Programs of Interest
Design for the Environment (DfE)-The Computer Display Partnership assessed the life cycle impacts of flat panel displays (FPDs) and conventional cathode ray tube monitors (CRTs) by combining Cleaner Technologies Substitutes Assessment (CTSA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) approaches. Developed under the DfE program, CTSAs evaluate and compare substitute processes, products, or technologies and generate data that allow businesses to make environmentally informed choices. Human and ecological risk, energy and resource use, performance, and costs are evaluated in a CTSA. Learn about other DfE projects. Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Database-The EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing web site provides a summary of and links to EPA (e.g., EnergyStar) and other programs related to environmental preferable purchasing of computers and related equipment. This includes summary of voluntary and mandatory standards and guidelines with vendor lists, where available for EnergyStar, the State of Massachusetts, SCS, Blue Angel, EU, TCO, Nordic Swan, SITO, and the UK Center for Sustainable Design.
|
|
