The Implementation of EPEAT: Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool The Implementation of an Environmental Rating System of Electronic Products for Governmental/Institutional Procurement

EPEAT has progressed deep into the implementation phase since the 2005 ISEE paper described the intended tool. The environmental standard, by the time of the 2006 Symposium, have been adopted as an American National Standard by IEEE - IEEE 1680. The host organization - Green Electronics Council - that implement the product registration and verification system have been established. The system, after a three-year development cycle, goes live in June of 2006. EPEAT is a tool for evaluating the environmental performance of electronic products throughout their life cycle that was designed and developed through a multi-stakeholder process. The process was initiated to meet the large and growing demand by large institutional purchasers to buy greener products. Months before it is operational, it has been demonstrated that EPEAT has gained wide acceptance in information technology (IT) purchasing by federal and state governments. This ISEE paper describes in detail how the EPEAT system, composed of both the IEEE Standard and the implementing organization, are responding to, and influencing, the institutional purchasing market. The results of surveys of government and institutional purchasers that demonstrate a strong market acceptance, even prior to implementation, are presented. In addition, future challenges and opportunities for the EPEAT program are discussed