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Green Initiatives—Electronics Action Plan
RCC 2005 Action Plan
I. Scope
The National Electronics Action Plan addresses environmental concerns along the entire life cycle of electronics, including design, operation, reuse, recycling, and disposal of equipment. This action plan will focus initially on computers (PCs), televisions, and cell phones.
Approximately two million tons of used electronics, including computers and televisions, are discarded each year. An estimated 128 million cell phones are retired from use each year. This National Electronics Action Plan will work to reduce the potential adverse effects of these discarded products by applying a life cycle approach to the problem.
The action plan will:
- Develop priorities and targets for the work of Office of Solid Waste, OSW (renamed Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, ORCR, on January 18, 2009) and OPPT, as well as their regional counterparts;
- Integrate ORCR's and OPPT's activities on electronics into a broader set of EPA activities;
- Ensure that this work is coordinated as effectively as possible, including extension of efforts to less urbanized settings (among them Indian Country, as appropriate);
- Support important ongoing activities; and
- Track and evaluate progress in the projects and activities agreed upon.
II. Goals and Objectives
The overall goals for electronics are to:
- Foster environmentally conscious design and manufacturing, including reducing or eliminating higher-risk materials (e.g., priority and toxic chemicals of national concern) in electronics products at the source;
- Increase purchasing and use of more environmentally sustainable electronics; and
- Increase safe, environmentally sound reuse and recycling of used electronics.
1. Design and manufacturing
- Electronic products will use significantly lower-risk materials.
- The amounts of materials used will be reduced to the minimum needed to meet technological or performance requirements if use of significantly lower risk materials is not possible.
- The electronics we buy will be designed to be readily reusable or recyclable at the end of their first useful life (this includes improved design and manufacturing processes, as well as building for ultimate dismantling and reuse).
- There will be robust markets for the materials coming from recycling of used electronics because of the design changes made to electronics.
2. Purchasing and use
- Environmentally sound government purchasing of electronics products will be standard practice.
3. Reuse and recycling
- It will be as easy for consumers to recycle or find a reuser for their TV or PC as it is for them to buy one.
- Reuse, recycling, and disposal of electronics will be a safe and environmentally sound practice across the nation.
One of the first steps in development of this action plan will be the establishment of measurable numerical targets for each of the broad national goals identified above. Possible targets include:
- Measuring amounts of priority and toxic chemicals of national concern that manufacturers have removed from products through redesign. The specific materials addressed will be identified in consultation with stakeholders.
- Targets for the number of computers and TVs recycled or reused nationally.
- The nature and volume of electronics handled by states, tribes, and community electronics recycling programs.
III. Means and Strategies
The means and strategies are classified under the three broad life cycle categories identified above: design and manufacturing, purchasing and use, and reuse and recycling. Some of the specific means and strategies, such as the Federal Electronics Challenge, address several of these life cycle stages. We also have included a program development category.
1. EPEAT (Electronics Product Environmental
Assessment Tool)
EPEAT is an environmental procurement tool designed to help institutional purchasers in the public and private sectors evaluate, compare, and select desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on their environmental attributes.
The EPEAT will evaluate electronic products according to three tiers of environmental performance—bronze, silver, and gold. The assessment tool will be structured to allow manufacturers to self-declare, via a Web-based interface, that their specific products meet EPEAT criteria. For each criterion, producers must, on request of the EPEAT organization, provide a specified set of verification data to demonstrate EPEAT conformance.
EPEAT Performance Measures will be developed within the next year, and include:
- Purchasers can measure the environmental benefit of their EPEAT purchases using the environmental benefit calculator.
- X percent of all product models meet the EPEAT standard.
- X number of products are certified by EPEAT.
- X number of federal agencies use EPEAT as a mandatory criterion for all of their computer purchasing.
- X number of tribes, states, and local governments have adopted EPEAT.
- X number of other entities have voluntarily adopted EPEAT.
The EPEAT implementation team is working to identify a host organization to take over implementation responsibilities, solicit public comment on the draft criteria, and develop a marketing plan to encourage the use of the standards when completed.
2. OPPT's Design for the Environment Program
DfE is a voluntary partnership program in which OPPT works directly with industry to assist in integrating health and environmental considerations into business decisions to produce products and processes that are cleaner, more cost-effective, and safer for workers and the public.
Over a 10-year period, DfE has completed four major assessments with the electronics industry, utilizing both cleaner technology substitute assessment (CTSA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies.
The first two studies focused on printed wiring boards used in electronics. PWBs, or printed circuit boards, provide the physical structure for mounting and holding electronic components, as well as providing the electrical interconnection between the components. PWBs are the foundation for virtually all of the world's electronics. In the first study, DfE compared the health and environmental risks, performance, and cost of the electroless copper process and six promising alternative technologies that use direct metalization. The results showed that the alternatives perform as well or and may pose less risk to workers and the environment. The project partners also conducted a second assessment to evaluate lead-free surface finish alternatives to the standard hot air solder leveling (HASL) process. The results indicate that the alternative finishes perform as well as or better than HASL, and some of the alternatives appear to pose fewer occupational risks, use less water and energy, and cost less. [Printed Wiring Board Partnership]
The third study, the first LCA, compared environmental impact of technologies that are used in desktop computer monitors—namely, cathode ray tubes (CRT) and liquid crystal displays (LCD). This project generated data to assist original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers in the electronics field in incorporating environmental considerations into their decisionmaking processes and identify areas for improvement. [Computer Display Partnership]
The fourth study, in the process of completion is another LCA focusing on comparing alternatives to lead solder. In the current LCA on alternatives to lead solder, the electronics industry contributed significant funding to the study, as well as technical expertise. [Lead-Free Solder Partnership]
Over the next year, the DfE Program will finalize the solder LCA report and disseminate the results to the electronics industry, so that manufacturers can use the information to make environmentally informed design decisions regarding the use of alternative solders. DfE is also in the process of initiating a new LCA study with the cable and wire industry.
Increase purchasing and use of more environmentally sustainable electronics.
1. Federal Electronics
Challenge (FEC)
The FEC promotes proper design, management, and disposal practices to protect the environment, and includes acquisition practices that make economic sense and save taxpayer dollars. Under the FEC, federal agencies are encouraged to:
- Procure equipment with reduced priority or toxic chemical content, greater energy efficiency, and increased reused and recycled content, as well as equipment designed to be more readily disassembled and recovered at end of life;
- Implement best life-cycle management practices for electronic equipment and share identified best practices with those outside the federal government; and
- Promote the reuse, demanufacturing, and recycling of obsolete electronic equipment.
The FEC was announced by the Office of the Federal Environmental Executive (OFFE) on November 15, 2004. At that time eleven federal departments and agencies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (PDF) (9 pp, 192K, about PDF) to develop and promote common strategies for using environmentally sustainable technologies and practices to improve the quality, performance, and environmental management of federal electronic assets throughout their life cycle. EPA and OFEE are working with federal agencies at the national level in Washington, D.C., with HQ taking the lead to develop agreements with GSA and the senior management of the targeted federal agencies. When such agreements are in place, the regions can more effectively assist federal facilities in carrying out their portion of the electronics challenge.
FEC has the following goals for 2008:
- 100 percent of units purchased by eligible FEC partners include multiple environmental attributes (e.g. energy efficiency, reduced toxicity).
- 100 percent of eligible FEC Partners have Energy Star features enabled on 95 percent of units.
- 100 percent of units excessed by eligible FEC partners have average life spans of 4 years or greater.
- 100 percent of non-reusable units are recycled by eligible FEC Partners using Environmentally Sound Management.
Increase safe, environmentally sound reuse and recycling of used electronics.
Plug-In to eCycling is a consumer electronics campaign working to increase the number of electronic devices collected and safely recycled in the United States. Launched by in January 2003, Plug-In to eCycling focuses on three major areas:
- Providing the public with information about electronics recycling and increasing opportunities to safely recycle old electronics, such as the Safe Recycling Guidelines.
- Facilitating partnerships with communities, electronics manufacturers, and retailers to promote shared responsibility for safe electronics recycling.
- Establishing pilot projects to test innovative approaches to safe electronics recycling.
Plug-In Performance Measures are to increase the percentage of the consumer electronics market that provides recycling services to 50 percent in 2 years, and to 80 percent in 5 years. We will reassess these targets as part of a broader national process to develop a target for the number of computers recycled nationally, as discussed earlier.
2. Safe Recycling Guidelines
Safe Recycling Guidelines have been developed and are being marketed as part of our Plug-In to eCycling program. We will reassess these guidelines as necessary, in the context of developing standards and processes for electronics recycling certification and recycling audits.
3. Complete the Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) Rule
Many CRTs and pieces of mercury-containing equipment may exhibit a hazardous waste characteristic if tested under the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching procedure (TCLP), and therefore may be hazardous wastes under RCRA if discarded. EPA has proposed an exclusion from the definition of solid waste that would simplify recycling requirements for used CRTs and glass removed from CRTs sent for recycling. EPA also proposed streamlining management requirements for used mercury-containing equipment. EPA will complete these rules during FY 05.
4. Basel Convention Mobile Phone
Partnership Initiative
In December 2002, the 10 major mobile phone manufacturers worldwide—LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Philips, Samsung, Siemens, and Sony Ericsson—signed a declaration to work under the Basel Convention (administered by the United Nations Environment Program) to improve the environmentally sound management of end-of-life mobile phones. We will continue working with stakeholders implementing this collaborative effort.
1. National electronics meeting
On March 1 and 2, EPA brought together approximately 200 people from state/local agencies, electronics manufacturers and retailers, and nonprofit organizations to discuss lessons learned to date and chart next steps for cell phones and electronics environmental efforts throughout the life cycle of these products. The meetings identified a long series of potential action items, including standards and processes for electronics recycling certification and recycling audits. EPA is taking the lead in convening the discussion for developing the system for certifying recyclers. Other potential action items include development of an electronics Recycling Consortium to build infrastructure for collection, reuse, and recycling of used electronics. In the next year, EPA will identify specific priorities and activities for involvement, as well as an approach for tracking progress. In addition, EPA will coordinate involvement with appropriate tribal organizations.
2. Data and public information
EPA is often expected to be the source of national data on electronics generation and management, and on the environmental impacts and costs/benefits of increased reuse/recycling. We need to continue to be a better source and evaluator of this data. In the next year, information will be developed to assess progress for individual projects, and to assess whether these projects are helping us to attain the overall Agency goals.
Example: The Polymer Alliance Zone (PAZ) Marcee Project is partnering with EPA's Plug-In program to use its advanced Web-based data platform to receive and array data from Plug-In to eCycling pilot projects for viewing and analysis by anyone who is interested in this information. This could form the basis for a national, publicly available database on information from electronics collection pilots and projects from around the country, including costs, types of materials collected, and volumes.
3. State and tribal involvement
Many states and tribes have already enacted legislation or have developed programs dealing with electronics issues, and we can learn many valuable lessons from those. Some of the specific tasks for the next year include:
- Ensuring that we have consulted with key organizations and state and tribal officials on future directions and to get input on efforts that have worked or not worked;
- Developing, if appropriate, model legislation appropriate to the tribes;
- Identifying appropriate steps in development and implementation of this plan;
- Working on collaborative steps for data gathering; and
- Identifying common or complementary approaches to implementation, for example the CRT rule or extending successful state or tribal programs to a regional or national level where practicable.
4. International
We are continuously looking at synergies with international activities through implementation and assistance related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements, cooperative work of the OECD, work within regions, and bilateral effort. For example, we are exploring options for trilateral cooperation with Mexico and Canada through our work under the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC).
The North American Pollution Prevention Partnership (a partnership of the Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. Pollution Prevention Roundtables and the CEC) developed an initiative on clean electronics in North America with the goal of facilitating the transition to new competitive global standards, such as those in the European Union, China, and Japan, while at the same time helping to sustain an important economic sector and advance clean production strategies in North America. In 2005, the CEC activities will be further developed and we will see better integration of this plan and the CEC work.
We are also exploring our options for affecting export practices, because computers shipped overseas for recycling or reuse are not subject to the same environmental controls that operate domestically. In the next year and beyond, we will consider available options and take specific actions that will improve environmental management of exported electronics equipment.
5. Regional Roles
By July, EPA HQ and regional offices will reach agreement on lead roles, specific assistance activities, resources, and priorities. Potential activities include:
- National Program Development: Participating in regulation development,
development of national projects, such as EPEAT and DfE, or collaborative
projects identified as a result of the national meeting.
- Federal Electronics Challenge: Actively promoting the programs
with other federal agencies via conferences and meetings, and working with
federal agencies to assist in implementation, using the Recycling Electronics
and Asset Disposition (READ) contract as appropriate. The Office of the
Federal Environmental Executive has indicated that federal agencies that
became FEC partners could expect to receive assistance, information, and
recognition for electronics stewardship efforts.
- Internal support: Working to promote environmentally sound purchasing,
use, recycling, or disposal within regional offices through FEC and supporting
implementation of several Executive Orders on Greening of Government.
- EPEAT: Reaching out to institutional purchasers (government,
academia, large businesses, hospitals, etc.) to promote the use and adoption
of the EPEAT criteria—potentially through the existing EPP, H2E, Green
Suppliers Network (GSN), and other programs.
- Coordination with states, tribes, and local government: Following
development in state pilot projects, programs, and legislation and serving
as a point of contact for information and assistance.
- Information sharing: Working with a network of regional contacts on electronics to update HQ and other regions on their projects, activities, and developments.