Green electronics are in greater demand than ever, partly due to the federal government’s requirements surrounding the environmental impact of the electronics they purchase and use. Federal purchasers are now required to buy electronics listed on a global registry known as “EPEAT”. EPEAT requires that products meet criteria in eight environmental performance categories. These categories include factors such as the products packaging, its lifecycle and the types of materials it contains. Today, the US government is in compliance with the requirement that 95 percent of the products it purchases and uses meet the EPEAT standards.
EPEAT is an influential purchasing tool for organizations and consumers around the world. Public and private purchasers alike from national governments to universities are now considering EPEAT certification when making purchasing decisions. Consumers can even find EPEAT registered electronics at popular stores and on websites. By requiring EPEAT certification, the government hopes to create a higher demand for green products using its influential buying power. These measures will eventually lead to a cleaner environment and smarter buying options for consumers.
During July 2013, EPEAT added 14 Konica Minolta bizhub MFPs to its product registry with “Gold” status. With these additions, all 33 Konica Minolta MFPs on the EPEAT registry have now achieved “Silver” level status or higher. To be added to the EPEAT registry, an imaging device must meet at least 33 required environmental performance criteria. Products may achieve higher ratings by meeting up to 26 additional optional criteria. The number of optional criteria met determines a product’s rating of Bronze, Silver or Gold. To achieve Gold status, a product must meet the requirements of Bronze and Silver status by meeting at least 75 percent of optional criteria.
For a complete listing of EPEAT products, click here. For additional information on Konica Minolta’s global CSR and environmental efforts, please click here.
USA
Global
