The Global Electronics Council (GEC) today released the updated Imaging Equipment Consumables Criteria for its EPEAT ecolabel. These criteria will be applied to the EPEAT Imaging Equipment product category only and establish requirements for the design of imaging equipment to: minimize the use of consumables, allow for the use of recycled content paper and remanufactured cartridges and meet internationally recognized indoor air quality standards. The criteria also address consumables take-back programs to enable circularity.

GEC thanks members of the Technical Committee and other stakeholders for bringing their time and expertise to the revision process!

GEC is undertaking a multi-year initiative to update EPEAT Criteria to address priority sustainability impact areas – Climate, Circularity (Sustainable Use of Resources), Chemicals of Concern, and Responsible Supply Chains. The Climate Criteria were published in May 2023, and development for the other impact areas is nearing completion.

The updated criteria from all impact areas, including the Imaging Equipment Consumables Criteria, will be activated on November 1, 2025, when products meeting the updated criteria will begin to appear on the Registry. The accompanying Conformity Requirements and Guidance Documents will be available for these criteria on November 22, 2024. Imaging equipment manufacturers and CABs will be able to access these under the Resources section using their EPEAT Registry accounts. However, manufacturers can begin working towards the Consumables Criteria immediately.

Please contact epeat@gec.org with any questions or to learn more about the Imaging Equipment Consumables Criteria and how they fit among the full set of updated EPEAT Criteria by priority sustainability impact area.

July 26, 2023

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact modules. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview provides revised estimates on the publication dates for the remaining criteria, reflecting our experience with the Climate Criteria and the reality that the Technical Committees need additional time to work through criteria and reach consensus.

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact criteria, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC has updated the development schedule for EPEAT criteria by sustainability impact modules. This update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview also includes information on the second public consultation and schedules for the development of product-specific criteria for imaging equipment consumables and additional product energy efficiency criteria.  

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC provides a quarterly update on the schedule for criteria development and implementation for EPEAT’s 4 sustainability impact modules. In 2023 these criteria will replace the existing criteria in EPEAT ICT product categories. The schedule in the attached update of the GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview, now includes a schedule for product-specific criteria.  

If you have any questions about EPEAT criteria development, the sustainability impact modules, or how to engage in the process, please contact CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

GEC invites stakeholders to participate in a Zero Waste Manufacturing Expert Ad Hoc group. This work will support the EPEAT sustainability impact module for Sustainable Use of Resources, focusing specifically on criteria to incentivize conservation of resources or “zero waste” in upstream supply chain manufacturing operations. Expert Ad Hoc Groups provide technical feedback on draft criteria and definitions. The work of this Expert Ad Hoc Group will start in early 2022 and is expected to continue for 1 month. The Expert Ad Hoc will meet by teleconference and provide offline review and comment on drafts.

This work adds to the Sustainable Use of Resources Expert Ad Hoc Groups previously communicated, specifically Materials Selection, Critical Minerals, Product Longevity (including design, circularity innovation, secure data deletion), Packaging Design, End-of-Life and Water Resources.

Stakeholders with expertise in zero waste manufacturing are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, government policy, purchasers, non-governmental organizations, academics, and component and material suppliers.

Please notify GEC of your interest in joining this Expert Ad Hoc Group by sending an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by January 3, 2022. Please also provide a provide a brief summary of your background and experience with the topic.

 Please contact the project lead, Erica Logan (elogan@globalelectronicscouncil.org), with any questions.

GEC invites stakeholders to participate in the technical review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT sustainability impact module for Chemicals of Concern.

Below is a list of Expert Ad Hoc Groups that GEC is currently forming and the criteria topics they will address.

1.    Management of substances used in product – assessing and controlling chemicals of concern.

2.    Substance inventory & transparency – reporting of chemicals within products is to inform responsible supply chain management.

3.    Alternatives assessment for chemicals of concern & public disclosure –identifying, assessing, and making informed risk-based toxicological determination of the acceptability of use of materials and chemicals to replace high hazard chemicals with safer alternatives.

4.    Safer manufacturing chemicals -replacing high hazard cleaners and degreasers with safer alternatives.

Expert Ad Hoc Groups will review and provide technical feedback on draft criteria and definitions. The work of the Ad Hoc Groups will start in January 2022 and are expected to continue for 8-12 weeks. The Groups will meet by teleconference and provide offline review and comment on drafts.

Stakeholders with expertise in the Ad Hoc topics are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, government policy, purchasers, non-governmental organizations, academics, and component and material suppliers.

If you have expertise in any of these topics, please send an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by December 17, 2021. Please identify the Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience with the topic.

Please contact the project lead, Rachel Simon (rsimon@globalelectronicscouncil.org) with any questions.

GEC invites stakeholders to participate in the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT sustainability impact module for Sustainable Use of Resources.

Below is a list of Expert Ad Hoc Groups that GEC is currently forming and the criteria topics they will address.

1.     Materials selection – Selecting lower impact materials (metals/plastics) and use of recycled content.

2.     Critical minerals – Focus on recovery and recycling of critical minerals and rare earth elements (REEs).

3.     Product longevity

a)    Design for durability, repairability and recycling and provision of product service and spare parts. Some specific topics include longer life batteries, product durability testing, utilization of repairability indices, component part failure rates and availability of spare parts, part markings and information for recyclers to facilitate safe handling.   

b)    Business practices to incentivize circularity – how to incentivize and recognize transformative business practices to enable a more circular economy.

c)     Secure data deletion – Best practices to ensure data is securely removed from end-of-life equipment, such that it can be reused or repurposed.

4.    Packaging design – Promoting material efficiency and use of recycled and responsibly sourced renewable content.

5.    End-of-life – Addressing take-back (collection and recovery mechanisms), environmentally responsible processing, capacity building for developing markets, and reporting on recovery and recycling achievements.  

6.    Water resources – Assessing and reporting water use in the electronic product value chain.  

Expert Ad Hoc Groups will provide technical feedback on draft criteria and definitions. The work of the Expert Ad Hoc Groups will start in November 2021 and is expected to continue for 2-4 months depending on the topic. The Expert Ad Hocs will meet by teleconference and provide offline review and comment on drafts.

Stakeholders with expertise in the above topics are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, government policy, purchasers, non-governmental organizations, academics, and component and material suppliers.

If you’d like to participate in any of the above Expert Ad Hoc Groups, please send an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by October 13, 2021. Please identify the Expert Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience with the topic.

Please contact the project lead, Erica Logan (elogan@globalelectronicscouncil.org), with any questions.

Earlier this year, GEC launched a multi-year initiative to revise its EPEAT criteria to align with sustainability impacts of electronic products and their supply chains, including Climate Change Mitigation, Sustainable Use of Resources (or Circularity), Reduction of Chemicals of Concern, and Corporate ESG Performance. When complete, these “modular” criteria will be applied across all EPEAT product categories, including computers and displays, mobile phones, imaging equipment, servers, televisions and network equipment. This GEC Criteria Modules by Sustainability Impacts Overview includes a summary of the criteria development process, opportunities to engage, and an update on the anticipated project implementation schedule. Stakeholders are encouraged to send questions to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org.

On setting carbon reduction goals in alignment with the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi)

GEC thanks stakeholders for providing comments on our State of Sustainability Research (SOSR) report for Climate Change Mitigation. As a result of comments received, GEC would like to convene experts to develop criteria on setting SBTi-based carbon reduction goals for manufacturers and their supply chains. SBTi criteria development will either be added to an existing Expert Ad Hoc Group or an additional group formed.

Stakeholders interested in providing expert input on setting SBTi aligned goals are asked to notify GEC by sending an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by June 2, 2021.

Stakeholders who previously expressed interest in participating in Expert Ad Hoc Groups for Climate Change Mitigation will receive meeting scheduling information soon.

Please contact Erica Logan (elogan@globalelectronicscouncil.org) with any questions.

GEC is excited to announce the availability of the final State of Sustainability Research for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED) – covering fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable medical devices. This research includes a dedicated chapter on data privacy concerns, prepared by the Future Privacy Forum, and strategies to protect sensitive personal data.

This final State of Sustainability Research incorporates comments submitted by stakeholders during the public consultation process. GEC thanks the stakeholders whose substantive feedback helps ensure that this document represents the best currently available data on sustainability impacts and reduction strategies for wearable technology.

Leveraging the science and information in the State of Sustainability Research, GEC is forming Expert Ad Hoc Groups as the next step in criteria development for the HWWED EPEAT category. Stakeholders with relevant expertise are invited to express interest in participating in these groups, which are focused on clusters of closely related criteria. Ad Hocs will start work in June, and are expected to continue for 8-10 weeks. We are currently forming the following Expert Ad Hoc Groups:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWED Product Category
• Data Privacy and Information Security for wearable devices
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

If you have expertise in any of these topics and would like to participate, please contact the project lead, Ben Levin (BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org) by May 19, 2021. Please identify the Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience on the topic.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.

The deadline for expressing interest in participating in Expert Ad Hoc Groups for the Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED) EPEAT category has been extended to May 19, 2021. Ad Hocs will start work in June, and are expected to continue for 8-10 weeks.

As a reminder, we are currently inviting stakeholders to participate in the following Ad Hoc Groups:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWEDs
• Data Privacy and Information Security
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

In particular, we continue to look for experts in Data Privacy and Information Security to support the Wearables criteria development.

If you are interested, please contact Ben Levin (BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org), indicate the Ad Hoc Group(s), and provide a brief background of your expertise.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.

GEC invites stakeholders to participate in the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT sustainability impact module for Climate Change Mitigation.

Below is a list of Ad Hoc Groups that GEC is currently forming:

• Conducting life cycle GHG emission assessments;
• Implementing energy efficiency measures in product and component manufacturing to reduce embodied carbon;
• Sourcing electricity from renewable energy sources for manufacture of product and components to reduce embodied carbon;
• Reducing use of high global warming potential chemicals in component manufacturing; and
• Product energy efficiency.

Ad Hoc Groups will review, provide feedback, and make recommendations on draft criteria and definitions. The work of the Ad Hoc Groups will start in June 2021 and are expected to continue for 8-10 weeks. The Groups will meet by teleconference and provide offline review and comment on drafts. Stakeholders with expertise in the Ad Hoc topics are encouraged to participate, including, but not limited to, manufacturers, government policy, purchasers, non-governmental organizations, academics, and component and material suppliers.

If you have expertise in any of these topics and haven’t already notified us of your interest in participating, please send an email to CRITERIA@globalelectronicscouncil.org by May 19, 2021. Please identify the Ad Hoc Group(s) that you are interested in from the above list and provide a brief summary of your background and experience with the topic.

Please contact the project lead, Erica Logan (elogan@globalelectronicscouncil.org) with any questions.

GEC Invites stakeholders to participate in the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices (HWWED), including fitness trackers, smartwatches, and wearable medical devices. Below is a list of Ad Hoc Groups that GEC is currently forming:

• Scoping and Definition of HWWED Product Category
• Data Privacy and Information Security
• Chemicals of Concern: Substances in Product, Alternatives Assessment, and Skin Sensitizers
• Design for Reuse, Repair, and Recycling; and Recycled Content
• End-of-Life Management
• Corporate ESG Performance

If you have expertise in any of these topics and would like to participate, please contact the project lead, Ben Levin (mailto:BLevin@GlobalElectronicsCouncil.org) by April 15, 2021.

Read more about the review and drafting of criteria for the upcoming EPEAT category for Health and Wellbeing Wearable Electronic Devices.