EPEAT’s Next Steps

We want to recognize all our stakeholders for the invigorating discussions of the past few weeks. The worldwide interest in EPEAT is testimony to the importance of the work we are all engaged in to develop and recognize greener electronics.

Recent discussions have included a focus on construction and disassembly techniques for ultralight/ultrathin laptops. EPEAT standards and processes give us specific ways to respond to these questions.

We have launched a surveillance investigation into the relevant criteria across an array of registered products that fall into this category. Surveillance is an information gathering process designed to help us better understand and address broad ambiguities or issues with product declarations.

In addition to technical and performance reviews, a simultaneous review by the Product Verification Committee (PVC) will work to clarify ambiguities in the 1680.1 standards language that have been raised as part of this process.

We will execute these investigations as rapidly as we can. We will consider factual evidence and technical demonstrations from multiple sources including manufacturers, designers, recyclers and other technical experts.

We welcome concrete evidence and discussion from all sides; however as a third party certifier we must and will follow our standard operating procedures and decision-making processes.

We anticipate these processes of surveillance and resolution will take approximately four weeks to complete, though specific issues may extend that period.

Completion of these processes will result in public communication of broad findings around the general compatibility of adhesive use with the 4.3.1.3 and 4.3.1.5 criteria. The PVC will also review the standards language in criterion  4.4.2.1 to make sure that we have clarity on acceptable approaches to upgradeability.

These processes may result in the voluntary removal of some products from the registry, or in no changes to the registry. Surveillance investigations may also lead to broader public verification processes looking at the issues raised.

Thank you for your interest, and your patience with this process – Robert Frisbee, CEO