A Tool to Support Environmentally Preferable Purchasing of Electronic Products Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool Chandler Workshop June 17, 2003 Wayne Rifer

Context: Electronic Product Stewardship Initiatives Western Electronic Product Stewardship Initiative National Electronic Product Stewardship Initiative Goals of WEPSI and NEPSI –Create and fund the infrastructure –Minimize the cost of EOL management –Maximize product value at EOL EPEAT was a recommendation of WEPSI

EPEAT Mission To develop and actively disseminate a Tool that: Promotes continuous improvement in the environmental design of electronic products Informs purchasing decisions by consumers and institutional purchasers regarding the environmental attributes of electronic products Provides market advantage for leaders in environmental design Economically motivates environmental performance through product design.

EPEAT Process Step 1: Hold stakeholder workshop, Chandler, Az; June 17 Step 2: Assemble Development Team Step 3: Build the organizational structure Step 4: Develop Assessment Tool Step 5: Commission and promote use of the Assessment Tool

EPEAT Project Structure Steering Committee –Membership: EPA representatives and grantees Challenge –Organize and kick-off EPEAT –Articulate a mission –Invite participation on the EPEAT Development Team –Hand off management of EPEAT to the Development Team

EPEAT Project Structure Development Team –Membership: Multiple stakeholders Challenge –Assume responsibility for EPEAT –Examine options thoroughly and openly –Decide on: The product and attribute scope of the Tool A desired structure for the Tool A parent organization –Prepare a Development and Funding Plan –Weigh merits of creating an Assessment Tool

EPEAT Overview Articulate Project Mission - Establish Development Team Define Scope and Structure of the Tool - Identify Parent Organization Prepare Development and Funding Plan - Weight Merits of Implementation Report to all Interested Parties with Recommendations for Next Steps Establish Final Technical Guidelines - Pilot Test and Launch Steering Committee Development Team Establish Stakeholder Involvement - Establish Management and Operational Systems Parent Organization

Some Questions for the Development Team Scope of Environmental Attributes WEPSI recommended to focus on EOL management Other possible attributes: –Energy efficiency –Toxic/hazardous substances –Manufacturing

Some Questions for the Development Team Scope of Products Steering Committee recommends, as an outer bound, Personal Computing and Communication Devices –CPUs, laptops, monitors, PDAs, cell phones

Some Questions for the Development Team Desired Attributes Be simple & clear to a purchasing agent Effectively measure preferred environmental design Be voluntary but inviting for manufacturers Be transparent and allow flexibility Reward innovation Be low cost and cause no delay in time-to-market

Some Questions for the Development Team Structure of the Tool Pros and cons of self-declaration versus third-party certified Variations on these Issues of time, cost and credibility