Federal Government Boosts Its EPEAT Purchases
Over half of all government agencies have purchased 95 percent or more EPEAT-certified electronics, in accordance with a new federal guideline.
As of January 2009, EPEAT-certified products were required purchases for all agencies of the federal government, after implementation of an Executive Order requiring agencies to purchase those products where certifications exist.
Moreover, 13 of the 22 agencies have already reported making the switch, and have already hit the required level of 95 percent purchasing of EPEAT computers, monitors, laptops and other electronics, which in order to receive certification must pass stringent measures for energy-efficiency, reduction of toxic materials, recyclability, packaging efficiency, and other environmental criteria.
"This is particularly notable because the EPEAT requirements are new and being implemented along with security and other IT requirements,” said Dana Arnold, Acting Federal Environmental Executive, “This striking level of compliance reflects great work on the part of Agency IT purchasing staff, as well as the ease of use of the EPEAT system.“
Among the notable achievements: The Department of Veterans Affairs leased over 290,000 Dell desktops and monitors between September 2007 and December 2008 -- 100 percent of which were EPEAT-certified.
The Social Security Administration purchased 100 percent EPEAT products in 2008 -- nearly 25,000 EPEAT-Gold certified desktops and 26,000 EPEAT-Silver or -Gold certified monitors. The Department of Labor also achieve 100 percent compliance with the new rule in 2008; in total the 13 agencies purchased more than 500,000 EPEAT products.
The other agencies that have achieved 95 percent or greater EPEAT purchasing are the Treasury Department, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, the State Deparment, the Department of Commerce, NASA, the Office of Personnel Management, the Tennesee Valley Authority, the EPA, and the General Services Administration.
The EPEAT standard, which launched in 2006, has been growing rapidly: in addition to the Federal purchasing requirement, the 1,000th product was EPEAT-certified in December 2008, and earlier that year the city of San Francisco also mandated purchasing of EPEAT products.
More about EPEAT, which is managed by the Green Electronics Council, is online at http://epeat.net.
Moreover, 13 of the 22 agencies have already reported making the switch, and have already hit the required level of 95 percent purchasing of EPEAT computers, monitors, laptops and other electronics, which in order to receive certification must pass stringent measures for energy-efficiency, reduction of toxic materials, recyclability, packaging efficiency, and other environmental criteria.
"This is particularly notable because the EPEAT requirements are new and being implemented along with security and other IT requirements,” said Dana Arnold, Acting Federal Environmental Executive, “This striking level of compliance reflects great work on the part of Agency IT purchasing staff, as well as the ease of use of the EPEAT system.“
Among the notable achievements: The Department of Veterans Affairs leased over 290,000 Dell desktops and monitors between September 2007 and December 2008 -- 100 percent of which were EPEAT-certified.
The Social Security Administration purchased 100 percent EPEAT products in 2008 -- nearly 25,000 EPEAT-Gold certified desktops and 26,000 EPEAT-Silver or -Gold certified monitors. The Department of Labor also achieve 100 percent compliance with the new rule in 2008; in total the 13 agencies purchased more than 500,000 EPEAT products.
The other agencies that have achieved 95 percent or greater EPEAT purchasing are the Treasury Department, the Department of Energy, the Department of the Interior, the State Deparment, the Department of Commerce, NASA, the Office of Personnel Management, the Tennesee Valley Authority, the EPA, and the General Services Administration.
The EPEAT standard, which launched in 2006, has been growing rapidly: in addition to the Federal purchasing requirement, the 1,000th product was EPEAT-certified in December 2008, and earlier that year the city of San Francisco also mandated purchasing of EPEAT products.
More about EPEAT, which is managed by the Green Electronics Council, is online at http://epeat.net.
