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EPEAT – a division under the General Electronics Council, “evaluates electronic products in relation to 51 total environmental criteria, - 23 required criteria and 28 optional criteria. To qualify for registration as an EPEAT product, the product must conform to all the required criteria.”
“Products are ranked in EPEAT according to three tiers of environmental performance – Bronze, Silver and Gold. All registered products must meet the required criteria, and achieve a Bronze status. Manufacturers may then achieve a higher level EPEAT “rating” for products by meeting additional optional criteria.”
Bronze – “Meets all 23 required criteria” Silver – “Meets all 23 required criteria plus at least 50% of the optional criteria” Gold – “Meets all 23 required criteria plus at least 75% of the optional criteria”
“Most EPEAT criteria refer to environmental performance characteristics of the specific product, and must be declared for each product registered. Some criteria relate to general corporate programs, such as a Corporate Environmental Policy or Environmental Management System. These Corporate Criteria apply to all of a given manufacturer’s EPEAT registered products and participating manufacturers declare to these criteria annually.”
IEEE 1680 Standard - “forms the basis of EPEAT, contains the full text of each criterion, to what types of product the criterion applies, what information a manufacturer must be prepared to provide to EPEAT to demonstrate conformance with the criterion, and additional references and details.”
ENERGY STAR - “is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.”
“In 1992 the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced ENERGY STAR as a voluntary labeling program designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Computers and monitors were the first labeled products. Through 1995, EPA expanded the label to additional office equipment products and residential heating and cooling equipment. In 1996, EPA partnered with the US Department of Energy for particular product categories. The ENERGY STAR label is now on major appliances, office equipment, lighting, home electronics, and more. EPA has also extended the label to cover new homes and commercial and industrial buildings.
EPEAT & ENERGY STAR - “Energy consumption during use phase is a very important aspect of computers’ and monitors’ overall environmental performance. For this reason, American National Standard IEEE 1680, which forms the basis of EPEAT, includes a criterion (4.5.1.1) that requires that every EPEAT registered product meet the current version of the applicable ENERGY STAR standard. Therefore, all EPEAT registered products are also ENERGY STAR qualified.”
Green Seal - Founded in 1989, Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification standards that are credible, transparent, and essential in an increasingly educated and competitive marketplace. Their industry knowledge and standards help manufacturers, purchasers, and end users alike make responsible choices that positively impact business behavior and improve quality of life. It says that a product or service has been tested according to science-based procedures, that it works as well or better than others in its class, and that it has been evaluated without bias or conflict of interest. The Green "Seal of Approval" has come to stand for reliability, fairness, and integrity.
Green Seal's evaluations are based on state-of-the-art science and information using internationally recognized methods and procedures. To earn the coveted Green Seal a product must meet the Green Seal environmental standard for the category as demonstrated by rigorous evaluation, testing and a plant visit.
The Seal provides a business advantage, for it identifies a product as environmentally preferable, provides third-party corroboration of environmental claims, and distinguishes a product from competitors that can't support their environmental assertions. The Green Seal may be used on packaging, in promotional material, in catalogs, and in advertising for products that have been certified to meet the applicable standard.
RoHS (Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Susbstances) - “Working in partnership with the policy lead at BERR (The Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform), NWML is the UK Enforcement Authority for the Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2008 (the “RoHS Regulations”). These Regulations implement EU Directive 2002/95 which bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants.”
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equiment) – “is the European Community directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) which, together with the RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, became European Law in February 2003, setting collection, recycling and recovery targets for all types of electrical goods.”
PMA (Pencil Makers Association) – “The Pencil Certification Program ensures that only pencils manufactured from materials that are free from toxins and do not cause harmful effects if chewed receive the seal of approval.”
The Forest Stewardship Council – Sets standards for responsible management of forest resources.
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Recycled Content – Product has been certified for recycled content, and meets the stringent EPA standard for providing a measurable and significant environment benefit over typical product in the same category.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) - label is a sign you are buying wood and paper products from a responsible source, backed by a rigorous, third-party certification audit.
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