Executive Order 13693, which outlines various federal purchasing guidelines, recently caused concern with environmental advocates for its failure to mention the Green Electronics Council’s EPEAT (Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool) environmental purchasing guidelines. The US Federal Government recently resolved this issue by publishing additional purchasing instructions that directly address EPEAT.
The new instructions recommend that 100% of purchases that include sustainability requirements be EPEAT-certified. Previously the administration recommended that 95% of qualified devices be EPEAT-certified. The instructions also reassure federal agencies that they may still use EPEAT and the EPEAT product registry to help find environmentally preferable equipment. According to the Green Electronics Council, these new instructions establish EPEAT as “the standard bearer” for electronic purchases moving forward. However, it opens the door to other tools if they meet the same environmental standards. Check out www.epeat.net for more information.
