EPA Programs for Electronics Stewardship

International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment

Clare Lindsay, EPA

Viccy Salazar, EPA

The Goal

Electronic Products are designed and manufactured so they are: Have lower impact on the environment, Contain fewer hazardous and toxic constituents, and Easier to reuse and recycle;

Increased market demand for ‘greener’ electronic products;

There are convenient, low cost electronics reuse and recycling centers; and

Reuse and recycling centers are environmentally safe and robust markets exist for the materials.

The Big Picture on EPA’s Electronics Sector Work

Design Purchasing Use/Re-use End of Life

DfE Lead FreeSolder(OPPT DfE)

Electronics Product FactSheet(OPPT PPD)

Energy Star(OAR)

Plug into E-Cycling(OSW MISW)

DfE ComputerDisplay LCA(OPPT DfE)

Electronic ProductsEnvironmentalAssessment Tool(EPEAT)(OPPT PPD/OSW MISW)

Cell Phone Reuseevaluation(Reg 2)

National ElectronicProduct Stewardshipdialogue(OSW MISW)

SustainableElectronics DesignCompetition(OSW MISW)

Reused ElectronicsMarket Study(Reg 1)

TCLP Testing ofElectronicComponents(OPPT DfE, Reg 4 &5)

Proposed CRT Rule(OSW MISW)

READ Contract(OARM)

Federal Electronics Challenge(OPPT PPD, OSW MISW, Region 5, Region 9, Region 10, OFEE)

Resource Conservation Challenge Electronics Cluster (OPPT/OSW)

Environmental Management System (EMS) (Federal Government Wide)

Plug-in to eCycling

What is Plug-In to eCycling?1. A consumer electronics recycling

outreach campaign that aims to increase the availability of safe electronics recycling.

2. EPA fosters partnerships withmanufacturers, retailers andgovernment organizations to Focus more national attention on electronics recycling option and

giveconsumers more places andopportunities to safely, convenientlyand affordably recycle old electronics

Plug-In Partnerships

Environmentally Safe Management

3. EPA pilots guidance for environmentally safe management of EOL electronics and requires Plug-in partners to use this guidance.

Some examples: Manufacturers

Retailers

State and Local Governments

Partners agree to host collection and outreach

events, feature ecycling information onwebsite and advertising information,

document data collection, use recyclersthat meet EPA’s Safe recycling

guidelines.

Plug-In Partners: Who are they and what do they do?

Recognizes partners at public events and in publications and outreach materials

EPA officials mention partners on relevant news programs

Highlights partners in press releases

Provides technical assistance as needed for collection events

How Does EPA Support Partner Efforts?

Staples New England Pilot: in-store electronics takeback program with manufacturer and retailer financial support – NO FEES

Office Depot/Good Guys (CompUSA) Pacific Northwest Pilot: ongoing in-store electronics takeback program (Office Depot-4 mo.; Good Guys – 1 mo.) with manufacturer and retailer financial support. Consumer EOL fees

Best Buy Minnesota Pilot: strategic awareness raising of drop off service. Consumer EOL Fees

Discussions about piloting TPO-like system in NW

**Already: Staples Redmond, WA/ Portland, OR April 22-May 8 2004 takeback initiative.

Upcoming Pilot Initiatives

Achievements: Since the program was launched in Jan. 2003, EPA

signed on 15 members in the manufacturing and retail sectors. More than 26.4 million pounds of electronics were collected by partners in the first 10 months of the program.

Next Steps: Continue recruiting private sector partners Continue to generate awareness in media and

national events Improve outreach and awareness tools for local

governments and private partners Launch national ecycling data collection mechanism Encourage widespread use of Plug-In’s Safe Recycling

(ESM) Guidelines

Achievements and Next Steps

What is the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC)?

The FEC is a purchasing, use, and end-of-life management challenge issued for federal facilities or agencies to:1. Purchase greener electronic products2. Manage electronic assets in an

environmentally sound manner3. Receive assistance to improve current

practices

Some quick facts… Approximately 10,000 federally owned computers

deemed excess or surplus each week FEC establishing ESM guidelines and audit process for

Federal Agencies U.S. federal sector represents a significant market

share for electronics FY 2003 IT budget –$53 BILLION (Hardware & Services) FY 2004 IT budget – approximately $59 BILLION (Hardware

& Services), FY 2005 and beyond – GROWING! Electronics represent serious environmental costs and

opportunities for Federal Agencies Federal Agencies CARE and are looking toward the FEC for

answers. See opportunities for cost savings and environmental gain Avoid potential liability

What electronics will the FEC address?

Monitors (computers and TV)

CPUs Copiers Laptops

Keyboards LCD screens Printers Cell phones Other as determined

by the facility

Timeline

Pilot May 2003 - July 20049 Partner facilities

Including: GSA, EPA, DOI, NASA, BPAPartner Awards in October 2004

National Program begins October 2004

Key Lessons From the Pilot Federal Agencies want to two basic

pieces of information from the FEC1. Information on how to buy greener

products (EPEAT, EPP Guidelines) and2. Clear direction on ESM and who can

provide it (questionnaire for recyclers and audit process).

Federal Agencies are willing to put their purchasing dollars into greener products and services

Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool

EPEAT To develop, build-on or adopt an assessment tool for electronic products and services and to actively disseminate said assessment tool. The tool should:

Promote continuous improvement Address the lifecycle Inform purchasing decisions by institutional purchasers Provide market advantage Be low cost, user friendly, and causes minimal delay in

time to market; Produces credible, verifiable outcomes Provides value in the marketplace

EPEAT Activities

Developing the StructureApplication and ApprovalVerificationScoringLabel (or not?)

Defining Attributes and criteriaSelecting a host organization and

defining its charge

EPEAT TimelineDevelop the Tool

November 2003 – October 2004Hand over to a host organization

Winter 2004/2005Piloting/Operationalizing Tool

Winter 2005 – Winter 2006Fully Operational

Fall 2006

For More Information Plug-in to eCycling

www.plugintoecycling.org Verena Radulovic, USEPA

radulovic.verena@epa.gov, Tel: (703) 605-0760

Federal Electronics Challenge www.federalelectronicschallenge.net Sonia Kassambara, Office of the Federal Environmental

Executivekassambara.sonia@epa.gov, Tel: (202) 564-9288

or Viccy Salazar, EPA Project Manger

salazar.viccy@epa.gov, Tel: (206) 553-1060

EPEAT www.epeat.net Viccy Salazar, EPA Project Manger

salazar.viccy@epa.gov, Tel: (206) 553-1060or

Larry Chalfan, Project Manager, Zero Waste Alliance Lchalfan@zerowaste.org, Tel: (503) 279-9383