Follow the Ecolabel: A Look at the Green Certifications on Dell Products

Ecolabels are a great way to know more about the environmental impacts of products when you shop. An ecolabel is a logo indicating that the product behind it meets a set of environmental standards. An independent third party verifies that the standards are met. This gives you a high level of confidence in the product’s green attributes, and it holds the maker of the product accountable.

Dell is pleased to offer a wide range of products bearing ecolabels. Below is a description of each certification system. For a list of Dell products and their certifications, click here.

ENERGY STAR

An international standard for energy-efficient products, ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. It was established in 1992 to promote energy-efficient computers and now evaluates more than 35 product categories.

In July 2009, a new, more rigorous set of standards for computer products went into effect — the ENERGY STAR® 5.0 specification. Under ENERGY STAR 5.0, machines with internal power supplies must have a minimum of 85 percent energy efficiency at 50 percent of rated output, and a minimum of 82 percent energy efficiency at 20 percent and 100 percent of rated output. External power supplies must be ENERGY STAR-qualified for the entire computer to be considered.

All computer products (except game consoles) manufactured on or after July 1, 2009 must meet the 5.0 requirements to bear an ENERGY STAR logo — including models that originally qualified for ENERGY STAR 4.0 specifications.

ENERGY STAR ratings for computer products are based on the following criteria:

• How well the product uses energy-efficient power supply
• How the product operates efficiently in multiple modes of operation (Off, Sleep and Idle)
• How the product includes and enables power management features of the system and provides users information about these features

Servers must have the following qualities to earn an ENERGY STAR rating:

• Efficient power supplies that limit power conversion losses and generate less waste heat, which reduces the need for excess air conditioning in the data center facility where they are housed
• Improved power quality that provides building-wide energy efficiency benefits
• Capability to measure real-time power use, processor utilization and air temperature, which improves manageability and lowers total cost of ownership
• Advanced power management features and efficient components to save energy across various operating states, including Idle mode
• A Power and Performance Data Sheet for purchasers that standardizes key information on energy performance, features and other capabilities

Monitors must have the following qualities to earn an ENERGY STAR rating:

• Displays meet stringent requirements in On, Sleep and Off modes.
• For small displays, the On mode power consumption limits are based on both viewable screen area and resolution.
• For large displays, the On mode power consumption limits are based on viewable screen area alone.
• In general, larger, high-resolution displays have higher maximum On mode power consumption allowances than smaller, low-resolution displays.
• In Sleep mode, displays consume 2 watts or less.
• In Off mode, displays consume 1 watt or less.

Learn more at http://www.energystar.gov/

EPEAT

Launched in 2006, Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) rates desktop and laptop computers, thin clients, workstations and computer displays, based on 51 environmental criteria. Key areas within those criteria are:

• Elimination of toxic materials
• Design for recycling
• Extended product longevity
• Increased energy efficiency
• Availability of take-back and recycling services

There are three tiers of EPEAT certification: Bronze, Silver and Gold. All EPEAT products must meet 23 required environmental criteria. An additional 28 optional criteria are used to determine which of the three EPEAT levels a given product will earn.

EPEAT is managed and operated by the Green Electronics Council, which is a program of the International Sustainable Development Foundation, a nonprofit organization.

EPEAT ratings are based on the following criteria:

• How well products are designed for recyclability and to what extent materials that are not compatible with recycling or reuse are eliminated
• How companies select the materials they use and how they integrate postconsumer recycled materials and renewable/bio-based material content
• How environmentally sensitive materials are reduced and eliminated
• How well the product conserves energy and utilizes renewable sources
• How the packaging is used, including reductions to the amount of packaging and integration of recyclable content

Learn more at http://www.epeat.net/

Blue Angel

Established in Germany in 1978, the Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel) ecolabel focuses on environmental and health-related attributes of a wide array of product categories. It is run by the Environmental Label Jury, the Federal Ministry for the Environment Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, the Federal Environmental Agency and RAL gGmbH.

A Blue Angel ecolabel on a product ensures that the product:

• Performs at a high level without negative impact on human health
• Performs at a high level with low impact on the environment 

Blue Angel considers the raw materials used in manufacturing all the way through to final disposal.

Learn more at http://www.blauer-engel.de/en/

TCO

Sweden-based TCO, whose name stems from the notion of total cost of ownership, has existed since the early 1980s. Originally, the certification focused on health and ergonomic issues related to computer products, but its scope has since expanded to include high product performance and rigorous environmental requirements.

TCO considers the following categories:

• Production
  • Environmental management system
  • Corporate social responsibility by brand owner
  • Limits on hazardous substances and materials — beyond Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) compliance for restrictions on heavy metals and flame retardants
  • Packaging designed for recycling

• Usage
  • Energy consumption — current ENERGY STAR compliance
  • Product lifetime — warranty and availability of spare parts
• End of life
  • Designed for recycling
  • Take-back options to reduce e-waste
• Ergonomics
  • Easily accessible USB ports
• Low emissions
  • Reduced electric and magnetic fields
  • Low acoustic noise