MSU Computer Store Electronic Product Environmental Assessment

In the latest version of Footprints: The Official Newsletter of the Office of Campus Sustainability it was pointed out that the MSU Computer Store (http://cstore.msu.edu/) has posted the Electronic Product Environment Assessment for many of the desktop and laptop computers that it sells on campus. The results are broken down by manufacturer, with their products awarded levels of distinction based on criteria they were are able to meet. The standards used are IEEE 1680, which identifies 51 environmental criteria to evaluate products. According to those results, products are placed in one of three tiers of environmental performance - Bronze, Silver, or Gold.

Currently the MSU Computer Store offers 47 Silver products and 9 Gold level items. Silver level consists of 23 required criteria and 50% of optional criteria, Gold level meets 23 required and at least 75% of optional criteria.

These criteria cover a number of different areas such as: limiting the amount of hazardous materials used, cadmium, mercury, lead, etc. This greatly reduces the possible environmental impact of disposal of these items (see previous articles on e-waste). In addition, the use of post consumer recycled content and designs that are able to be easily disassembled for recycling are also rewarded. One area or critieria that is especially important to the MSU Surplus Store customers is increasing the lifespan of the product by allowing the item be upgraded easily instead of being replaced.

Some of the other criteria:

• Energy Star Compliance
• Manufacture Product Take backs
• Offered Recycling Services
• The Use of Rechargeable Batteries
• Overall Corporate Environmental Performance
• The Reduction of Packaging Materials
• Reuseability of Products and Packaging Materials

Many of these standards greatly improve our ability to re-sell and if needed recycle items that come to the MSU Surplus Store. So the next time you are shopping for a new computer product be sure to check out its rating before purchasing, you will be making a sound environmental choice.