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(click on the links below to see the progress of each initiative) |
Electronic Products Stewardship |
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(Problem) (Goal) (Practices) (Tools/Resources) (Background) What's New! ELECTRONIC WASTE - Strengthening the Role of the Federal Government in Encouraging Recycling and Reuse (1.2MB pdf) - this recently released (11/05) GAO report underscores the need for legislation that would encourage the recycling and reuse of electronic waste. Announcing a New Program to Help Federal Facilities Manage Their Used Electronics. The Office of the Federal Environmental Executive, in cooperation with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, the Federal Network for Sustainability has launched a program to address the large amount of electronic equipment that the federal government is responsible for purchasing, managing and handling at the end of its useful life. This program is called the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC), to learn more about it please see: http://www.federalelectronicschallenge.net Because the federal government purchases over $60 billion worth of electronic equipment and services annually, the federal government has the opportunity to provide leadership in the environmentally sound and cost effective management of electronic assets. The FEC will help participating federal facilities and agencies become leaders in facing the new challenges posed by this waste stream. The FEC addresses many parts of the electronic lifecycle; purchasing, use, and end-of-life management. The program can be utilized by federal facilities or agencies that want to purchase greener electronic products, manage their electronic assets in an environmentally sound manner, receive assistance in modifying their current practices, and gain national recognition for their efforts. Any federal agency, facility, or department can join the challenge. The FEC was launched nationally on October 21st at the White House Federal Electronics Stewardship Summit. Signing up to become a Partner is simple. Visit this link for directions: http://www.federalelectronicschallenge.net/pledge.htm If you have any questions about the FEC please visit the websites above. We encourage you to learn more about this interesting and helpful new program. ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS STEWARDSHIP: WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? Computers and other electronic devices are as common in offices as telephones, and their numbers are growing. Faster, more powerful machines quickly replace their predecessors, and ?upgrade? cycles of two or three years are becoming the standard. While the technology may become obsolete, the glass, steel, and plastic were built to last. Electronic equipment does not come apart easily, and many parts can not be changed separately. The result is the creation of large amounts of costly electronic 'junk'.
What is the Scope of the Problem?
ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS STEWARDSHIP: WHAT IS THE GOAL? FNS's goal of Electronics Product Stewardship is to change the way federal agencies buy, use, and dispose of electronics and to reduce the impact of federally used electronics on the environment. As the single largest purchaser of products and services in the world, FNS believes that the Federal government can take on a leadership role by using its enormous purchasing power to influence the market for more sustainable electronic products. The Federal Network for Sustainability has taken the lead by supporting efforts undertaken by the US EPA to develop and promote electronic product stewardship initiatives. Support for these initiatives will continue as part of the overall FNS Green Purchasing strategy. The FNS Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative will also support upcoming green electronics procurement efforts undertaken by the White House Task Force on Recycling, under the leadership of the Federal Environmental Executive. (For general information on the Task Force, Please visit: http://www.ofee.gov/) The FNS Electronics Workgroup is still in its initial stages of formation. As it develops, the workgroup will establish more specific goals. Such goals may be based on unit purchases of green electronic equipment, dollar purchases of green electronic equipment, the development of best management practices for green electronics purchases, etc. The purchase, use, and disposal phases for electronic equipment each present their own challenges and opportunities for minimizing environmental impact. Significantly, authority and responsibility for the purchase, use and disposal of electronic products is often spread among several people within an agency. Coordinating these efforts is often the most important precursor to greening an agency's electronics environmental footprint. Each phase is considered separately below.
Best Management Practices: Electronics Purchasing Initial development of purchasing guidelines for green electronic equipment has begun within several governmental agencies. Fore more information, please visit these links:
Best Management Practices: Use Phase There are many practices during the use phase of electronic equipment that can help minimize the overall environmental impact of the equipment. Some of these include:
For more information on use phase concerns, you may also wish to visit the following links:
Best Management Practices: Electronics End-of-Life Management
TOOLS, RESOURCES, WHO TO CALL FOR HELP
INFORMATION
For a detailed agenda with links to presentations, please visit:
For a copy of the workshop brochure, please visit: |
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