US government moves away from green electronics standards

The White House has issued a new federal development practice directive that markedly weakens the need for federal electronics purchases to comply with EPEAT standards. The standard promotes the development of green electronics, including the recovery and reuse of many types of devices. EPEAT, a non-profit organization that manages standards, was established in 2005 and acts as a global rating system for a wide range of electronics, including TVs, computers, data centers, hard drive enclosures and other devices, more at http://www.ru.all.biz/korpusa-dlya-zhestkih-diskov-hdd-bgg1038082

EPEAT registered products are rated according to various sustainability criteria. The EPEAT System combines rigorous, comprehensive design, manufacturing, use and recycling criteria with manufacturer independent verification. It is an easy-to-use resource for buyers, manufacturers and resellers to determine the sustainability of their devices, considering their lifespan, maintainability, and recyclability for materials such as bronze, silver, gold and others.

Robert Frisbee, CEO of the Green Electronics board that runs EPEAT, said he did not understand the reason the government removed the standard from its protocol. “It's amazing that support for EPEAT standards has been removed from the latest executive order,” he said in a statement. “Many important players, including US institutions, private sector buyers and environmentalists, have expressed their commitment to maintaining government commitment to EPEAT standards. The Obama administration seemed to provide an opportunity to raise environmental targets, but that goes against that intention. ”

On March 19, the White House amended an executive order from 2009 that said it would “provide preference for purchases of EPEAT-registered electronic products,” and there is no mention of EPEAT.