[November 26, 2012]

IEEE Introduces Comprehensive Standards with Innovative Incentives for Green Manufacturing

IEEE (News - Alert), the world's largest professional organization advancing technology for humanity, today announced IEEE 1680.2™-2012 "Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment" and the IEEE 1680.3™-2012 "Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Televisions." The new standards provide an unprecedented breadth of criteria for environmentally preferable products by addressing energy, toxic and hazardous materials, and recycling.

Both the IEEE 1680.2-2012 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment and the IEEE 1680.3-2012 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Televisions contain compulsory and optional criteria. Each standard requires products to meet the most recent ENERGY STAR (News - Alert)® technical specifications; reduce the use of toxic and hazardous substances, brominated flame retardants, and PVC; and offer products designed for easy recycling.

Additionally, products that meet the IEEE 1680.2-2012 Standard for the Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment must comply with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) requirements and include post-consumer recycled content.

Optional criteria for both standards include the following benefits:

• Reduction in the release of fluorinated greenhouse gases
• Inventorying the chemicals within products to facilitate further reduction of toxics in future products
• Eliminating the use of brominated flame retardants-most of which are classified as persistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT)

A significant benefit for manufacturers whose products meet the standards' requirements is serving the large U.S. federal government market. Federal purchasers are required to acquire products that meet the IEEE 1680^TM family of standards.

The new standards join the IEEE 1680-2009 "Standard for Environmental Assessment of Electronic Products" and the IEEE 1680.1™-2009 "Standard for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products," which currently comprise the IEEE 1680 family of standards. IEEE 1680-2009 descrbes how products are registered by declaring their compliance to specific criteria, how they are rated based on the criteria they meet, how registration by country operates, and how product declarations are verified. Developed by more than 400 stakeholders from the manufacturing, supplier, recycling, academic, environmental advocacy, purchaser, and local, state and federal government communities, the IEEE 1680 family of standards are designed to drive the market towards the manufacturing and procurement of greener electronics worldwide.

IEEE 1680.2-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store. IEEE 1680.3-2012 is available for purchase at the IEEE Standards Store.

Information about the IEEE 1680 Working Group is available at http://standards.ieee.org/develop/wg/1680_WG.html.

To learn more about IEEE-SA, visit us on Facebook (News - Alert) at http://www.facebook.com/ieeesa, follow us on Twitter (News - Alert) at http://www.twitter.com/ieeesa or connect with us on the Standards Insight Blog at http://www.standardsinsight.com.

About the IEEE Standards Association

The IEEE Standards Association, a globally recognized standards-setting body within IEEE, develops consensus standards through an open process that engages industry and brings together a broad stakeholder community. IEEE standards set specifications and best practices based on current scientific and technological knowledge. The IEEE-SA has a portfolio of over 900 active standards and more than 500 standards under development. For more information visit http://standards.ieee.org/.

About IEEE

IEEE, a large, global technical professional organization, is dedicated to advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. Through its highly cited publications, conferences, technology standards, and professional and educational activities, IEEE is the trusted voice on a wide variety of areas ranging from aerospace systems, computers and telecommunications to biomedical engineering, electric power and consumer electronics. http://www.ieee.org/.

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