BANNOCKBURN, IL – IEEE members will soon vote on two proposed standards that set criteria for environmentally preferable electronic equipment, and a competing trade group is expressing concerns over the ramifications.

The proposed standards in question, 1680.2 Draft Standard for Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment and 1680.3 Draft Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Televisions, will have a broad impact, setting virtual standards for “environmental” electronics throughout the supply chain, as well as establishing precedent for future IEEE EPEAT standards, says IPC.

The criteria cover all aspects of the product, from the chemicals contained to how they are disposed.

IPC is concerned that both standards expand on current RoHS Directive and REACH requirements by eliminating exemptions and removing SVHCs from products; both contain criteria to remove all halogens, including TBBPA; both include a criterion for manufacturers to inventory more than 100 substances in their products; neither requires any assessment of whether restricted substances will or can be replaced with substances better for human health and the environment, and both include a total of 115 criteria.

If passed, the standards will become de facto regulations as a result of President Obama’s Executive Order 13514 Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance that requires all government procurement to be certified to EPEAT.

The last day to join the balloting group is Aug. 15, and IEEE members can join the balloting group at https://development.standards.ieee.org/my-site/home.

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