As one of the the world’s largest purchasers of electronic products and services, the federal government has an opportunity and a responsibility to provide leadership in environmentally sound practices and cost-effective, life-cycle management of electronic assets.

Generally, electronics management is anchored by three goals to reduce the environmental impacts of electronic products:

1. Foster environmentally conscious design and manufacturing.
2. Increase purchasing and use of more environmentally sustainable electronics.
3. Increase safe, environmentally sound reuse and recycling of used electronics.

EPA is working with federal agencies to promote and institute these practices.

• What Is Required?
• What Actions Can I Take?
• Which Resources Can I Use?
• What Training Is Available?
• How Is EPA Making Strides?
• What Are Other Agencies Doing?

What Is Required?

Executive Order (EO) 13423 requires that each agency shall seek to reduce the environmental and energy impacts of its electronic equipment purchase, use and disposal through continual improvements to the acquisition, design, specifications, material choices, distribution and use of new electronic equipment, and the reuse, de-manufacturing and recycling of surplus electronic equipment. In meeting the electronics stewardship goal of section 2(h) of the EO, each agency shall:

• Acquire more energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable electronic equipment that is cost effective, while maintaining or improving equipment quality and performance.
  
  
• Identify and implement best life-cycle management business practices for electronic equipment.
  
  
• Reduce the economic and environmental life-cycle costs of federal electronic equipment.
  
  
• Promote growth of the market and infrastructure for the reuse, donation, transfer, sale, de-manufacturing, and recycling of obsolete electronic equipment.

In December 2007, the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) was amended to add provisions for implementing the electronics section of EO 13423 requirement. This interim final rule (4 pp, 62KB About PDF) went into effect immediately, although the FAR Councils accepted comments through February 2008.

In 2004, representatives from several EPA offices signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (10 pp, 132KB About PDF) with other federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President to reduce the environmental impact of their electronics purchase, use and disposal. As part of its implementation plan to meet the goals of the MOU, EPA is working to ensure that 100 percent of nonreusable units are recycled in environmentally sound ways, as defined by EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling guidance.

For more information on relevant federal legislation and EOs, visit Federal Legislation and Executive Orders Relevant to the FEC (5 pp, 65KB About PDF) on the Federal Electronics Challenge Web site.

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What Actions Can I Take?

• Know what attributes to look for when purchasing electronics. Use the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which helps purchasers rank electronic products based on their environmental attributes.
  
  
• Calculate your environmental benefits. An Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator can do the task by quantifying the benefits gained by purchasing EPEAT-registered computer desktops, laptops, and monitors. The calculator can also quantify improvements in equipment operation and end-of-life management practices. Currently, this tool is designed to evaluate EPEAT-registered desktop (with a CRT or LCD monitor) and notebook computers.
  
  
• Make sure your equipment is ENERGY STAR compliant.
  
  
• Join the Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) (4 pp, 84KB About PDF), which encourages federal agencies to make more efficient use of their electronics, including reusing, donating and recycling at end of life.
  
  
• Reuse equipment before recycling—within the agency, at schools through the Computers for Learning program, or within the government through FEC.
  
  
• If it cannot be reused, recycle equipment through a source such as the Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition Services Contract.

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Which Resources Can I Use?

Many resources are available to help you find the best option for managing your surplus equipment.

EPA Resources

• The Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition Services Contract helps agencies properly manage electronic inventories and recycle and properly dispose of excess or obsolete electronic property in an environmentally safe manner.
  
  
• The Plug-In To eCycling Program
  
  
• The Electronics page lists attributes to look for in electronics, procurement guidance and calculator tools.
  
  
• Green Electronics gives an overview of electronics initiatives for federal agencies and other partners.
  
  
• The Product Stewardship, Electronics Web page describes programs that promote electronics stewardship.
  
  
• Tools that measure environmental impact. These tools to help individuals and organizations determine the greenhouse gas impact of their purchasing, manufacturing and waste management actions.
  
  
• The Computer for Learning Program allows government agencies and the private sector to transfer surplus computers and related equipment to schools in need of computers.
  


• WasteWise Electronics Challenge Resources contain national directories and databases, general Web sites, online publications and journal articles.

Federal Resources

• Office of the Federal Environmental Executive's Web site on Electronics Stewardship
  
  
• FedCenter.gov’s Electronics Stewardship page
  
  
• Department of Energy’s Federal Electronics Purchasing Guidelines
  

Other Resources

• The Federal Electronics Challenge (FEC) is a voluntary partnership program that helps federal facilities buy more environmentally friendly electronic equipment, reduce impacts of electronic products during use, and manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way. FEC resources on the end-of-life management of electronics include:
  
  
  • Reuse of Electronic Equipment (5 pp, 96KB About PDF) outlines reuse and donation options for managing surplus federal electronic property.
    
    
  • Federal Property Reuse Programs provides an overview of available federal property reuse programs.
    
    
  • GSA Procedures for the Transfer, Donation, Sale and Recycling of Electronic Equipment (4 pp, 2,363KB About PDF) offers an overview of relevant General Services Administration (GSA) guidelines and requirements.
    
    
  • Checklist for the Selection of Electronics Recycling Services (4 pp, 105KB About PDF) is designed to aid facilities in the initial evaluation of an electronics recycler.
    
    
  • The National Institute of Standards and Technology Guidelines for Media Sanitization (See SP 800-88) assists agencies with sanitization decision-making when electronic media require disposal, reuse, or will be leaving the control of the agency.
    
    
  • End-of-Life Management Presentations include presentations by EPA and GSA on regulatory requirements, an introduction to donating electronics, GSA assistance in disposing of personal property and other helpful topics.
  
  
  
• Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)
  
  
• EPEAT Frequently Asked Questions

• GreenerComputingis a resource center for environmentally responsible computing developed by Greener World Media, Inc.
  
  
• International Association of Electronics Recyclers is the trade association for the electronics recycling industry.
  
  
• New American Dream, Responsible Purchasing Network provides information about environmentally preferable computers and how institutional purchasers can buy better computers.
  
  
• Northwest Product Stewardship Council's Guide to Environmentally Preferable Computer Purchasing discusses environmentally preferable computer purchasing and highlights products features, alternatives, and manufacturer activities.
  
  
• The Product Stewardship Institute (PSI) - Electronics provides information about electronics stewardship and the PSI Electronics Project.

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How Is EPA Making Strides In Properly Managing Electronic Equipment?

• In 2005, EPA donated more than 2,000 pieces of electronic equipment—such as desktops, laptops, monitors, keyboards, and printers—to schools across the United States through Computers for Learning.
  
  
• Since the development of the Recycling Electronics and Asset Disposition Services Contract, EPA has processed more than 300,000 pounds of equipment using the contract.
  
  
• The majority of EPA’s targeted facilities have signed onto the Federal Electronics Challenge.
  

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What Are Other Agencies Doing?

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Cropping Systems and Water Quality Research Unit (CSWQRU) contacted a local high school technology class that refurbishes computers and arranged to donate computers that had no commercial value. In 2005, CSWQRU reused or donated 100 percent of its excess computers.
  


• USDA’s Electronics Stewardship Plan (30pp, 517MB About PDF) addresses how USDA will implement the goals of the three electronics life-cycle phases: acquisition, operations and maintenance, and end of life.
  
  
• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center donated nearly 1,000 computers to outside agencies for reuse. The center recycled approximately 1,600 units.
  
  
• U.S. Postal Service [USPS] and Electronics Recycling is a PowerPoint presentation summary of USPS electronics program.
  
  
• [Department of Veterans Affairs’] VA’s Electronics Stewardship Program and Implementation Plan is a PowerPoint presentation outlining goals and accomplishments.
  
  
  • From 1998 to 2005, the VA Iliana Health Care System donated or recycled more than 1,400 systems.

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