February 6, 2008—In another step to ensure that all federal agencies purchase and use the “greenest” computers available, the US Federal Government has integrated a requirement for use of EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) into the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR)—the “bible” of the federal purchasing sector.
A Presidential Executive Order in January 2007 called on federal agencies to ensure that 95% or more of all computers they purchase are qualified under the EPEAT green computer-purchasing standard; the proposal to include this requirement in the FAR will make it standard practice for all federal government purchasers.
The EPEAT system, which was developed and implemented through a stakeholder process supported by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), evaluates computer desktops, laptops, and monitors based on 51 environmental criteria.
According to the Green Electronics Council (GEC), the nonprofit group that manages the EPEAT system, all EPEAT-registered products must meet 23 mandatory environmental performance criteria. An additional 28 optional criteria are used to determine whether products earn EPEAT Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition. The EPEAT standard is ANSI approved and was formally adopted in 2006 as Standard 1680 of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
Total purchases of EPEAT registered green computers during the first six months after the system’s July 2006 launch resulted in remarkable environmental benefits at a time when the EPEAT registry contained far fewer products than are now listed. Compared to conventional products, purchasing EPEAT products:
- Saved 13.7 billion kWh of electricity;
- Saved 24.4 million metric tons of materials;
- Prevented release of 56.5 million metric tons of air pollution, including 1.07 million metric tons of global warming gases;
- Prevented release of 118,000 metric tons of water pollution;
- Reduced toxic material use by 1,070 metric tons, including enough mercury to fill 157,000 household fever thermometers; and
- Avoided the disposal of 41,100 metric tons of hazardous waste.
The FAR proposal is an interim final rule—meaning that it takes effect immediately, although it is open for comment by interested parties until February 25.
For more information, visit the EPEAT Web site.
