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Northwest
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The page you are looking for has been moved to the link below. You will be transported there shortly. Please change your bookmarks to reflect the new website address. Thank you! For More Information: David Stitzhal serves as the Council coordinator. Contact him at Full Circle Environmental, Inc. 206-723-0528 or fullcircle@nwnexus.com. Last updated: November 15, 2001
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GUIDE TO ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERABLE COMPUTER PURCHASING
Computers are as common in our offices as
telephones, and the numbers are growing. Faster, more powerful machines
quickly Besides wasting materials, the
manufacturing and disposal processes may release pollutants to air and water
and affect human health. Paying for frequent replacement, plus hazardous waste
disposal for some items, can add up quickly. What looked like a good price for
new equipment may carry significant hidden costs. You can send a message to manufactures and suppliers. Your purchasing decisions can affect the market. Choose manufacturers who practice Product Stewardship by making it their business to produce products that are less toxic, conserve materials, and reduce waste. This Guide can help you make environmentally friendly choices when you purchase computer equipment. In it you’ll find out
Problems and Alternatives From design to disposal, purchasing
choices affect the environment. The lists below identify materials and
processes to consider for their environmental impacts, and show how
your purchasing specifications can reduce or eliminate those problems.
What’s the most important part of "green purchasing"? It’s taking steps to avoid pollution and waste. Energy efficient equipment cuts polluting emissions from power plants. Providing for equipment at the end of its useful life also prevents pollution and save valuable resources. That’s good business, too: the most efficient system has the least waste. If you want to read only one part of this Guide, see "End-of-Life" Management.
Obsolescence vs. "Upgradability"; End-of-Life Management What’s the problem? "Planned obsolescence" and design-for-disposal uses up natural resources and causes waste. Operating systems and software that cannot be upgraded electronically affect both the environment and the user’s budget. Samsung announced "the ultimate throwaway computer", sealed so it cannot be upgraded. What’s the alternative?
What’s the problem? Computer equipment comes packaged in materials that typically cannot be reused, separated, or recycled. Glued computer parts and multiple-material packaging impede recycling. Materials such as polystyrene are generally made without recycled content and may be non-recyclable. Excessive packaging is wasteful. Paper manuals and disks packaged with each computer often add to the waste. What’s the alternative?
What’s
the problem? Manufacturing of computers and component parts typically involves solvents and other substances that must be controlled to reduce pollution and health risks. Cadmium, mercury, lead, and brominated or halogenated compounds do not break down readily in nature, and require special management. (Refer to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s Clean Computer Campaign, www.svtc.org for more details about toxic substances related to computer equipment). What’s the alternative?
Other Design and Manufacturing Factors What’s the problem? Product design and manufacturing should address air and water pollution and employee health concerns. Besides using toxic substances and "designing-for-disposal," manufacturers often use glues or fasteners that make repair or upgrade impractical. In addition, virgin and non-recyclable materials use up more water, energy, and minerals than recycled materials. What’s the alternative?
Downloadable Brochure PDF
176KB Updated 08/15/2001
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replace each other, with "upgrade" cycles of two or three
years. Most equipment is designed for disposal: it does not come apart easily,
and parts cannot be upgraded separately. Units may not be recyclable if the
materials are hard to separate. The result is large amounts of electronic
junk, even with re-furbishers, recyclers and
donations diverting some
electronics from trash.
Further on in this Guide, you’ll find web addresses and resources
for contract language, standards, and product details.
