(EPA Region 3 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program)

The goal of this project was to promote source reduction and increase the use of recycled materials through the environmentally preferable purchasing of computers by public and private sector institutional purchasers. NERC accomplished this by promoting the use of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT™) by institutional purchasers in Pennsylvania and Delaware through outreach and education, technical assistance, and demonstrating the environmental benefits of purchasing EPEAT™-qualified products. EPEAT™ is a project spearheaded by the U.S. EPA to help public and private sector institutional purchasers evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on environmental attributes. 



This project also quantified the environmental benefits of green electronics procurement by applying the EPA-funded Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (the EEBC), developed by the University of Tennessee (UoT). The calculation of environmental benefits included reduction in persistent bio-accumulative toxins, energy use, CO2/greenhouse gas emissions, municipal and hazardous solid waste generation; and increase in use of post-consumer content recycled materials.

NERC collaborated in this project with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP) and Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC).

The project included three specific objectives:

1. Outreach to institutional purchasers to promote the use of EPEAT™. We will provide, outreach, education and directed technical assistance for using EPEAT™, including developing and distributing model procurement language and educational tools, convening teleconferences with web-based support, promoting EPEAT™ through procurement networks such as state procurement associations and NERC's EPPnet.
2. Demonstrate the environmental benefits of purchasing EPEAT™-qualified products by applying the EPA-funded Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator (the EEBC), to provide the first-ever demonstration of the environmental benefit of actual and projected purchases of EPEAT™-qualified products by states and an EPA Region. The calculation of environmental benefits will include reduction in persistent bio-accumulative toxins, energy use, CO2/greenhouse gas emissions, municipal and hazardous solid waste generation; and increase in use of post-consumer content recycled materials.
3. Transfer materials and results to promote national scale-up of EPEAT™ and use of the EEBC and replication of the project in other states and regions.

(EPA Region 1 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program)

The goal of this project was to promote source reduction and increase the use of recycled materials through the environmentally preferable purchasing of computers by public and private sector institutional purchasers. NERC accomplished this by promoting the use of the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT™) by institutional purchasers in New England through outreach and education, technical assistance, and demonstrating the environmental benefits of purchasing EPEAT™-qualified products. EPEAT™ is a project spearheaded by the U.S. EPA to help public and private sector institutional purchasers evaluate, compare and select desktop computers, laptops, and monitors based on environmental attributes. EPEAT™ will be the first-available environmentally preferable purchasing tool for computers and will rate product environmental performance based on multiple environmental criteria.

This project also quantified the environmental benefits of green electronics procurement by applying the EPA-funded Electronics Environmental Benefits Calculator, developed by the University of Tennessee, to provide the first-ever demonstration of the environmental benefit of actual and projected purchases of EPEAT™-qualified products by states. The calculation of environmental benefits will included reduction in persistent bio-accumulative toxins, energy use, CO2 /greenhouse gas emissions, municipal and hazardous solid waste generation; and increase in use of post-consumer content recycled materials.

NERC collaborated in this project with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Maine State Planning Office, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Protection, and the Vermont Agency for Natural Resources. 

The project included three specific objectives:

1. Outreach to institutional purchasers to promote the use of EPEAT™.
2. Demonstrate the environmental benefits of purchasing EPEAT™-qualified products.
3. Transfer materials and results to promote national scale-up of EPEAT™ and use of the EEBC and replication of the project in other states and regions.



A final report summarizes the efforts and results of this project. 

Recycling Makes Sense – Town, School, and Business Recycling Project - Grant

USDA Solid Waste Management Grant Program

The goal of this project was to increase reuse and recycling by businesses, schools, and municipal offices in Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. This project included working with 32 towns in presenting "Recycling Makes Sen$e" workshops in the participant states (a total of 22 workshops).

The key NERC staff for this project was Mary Ann Remolador. For more information about NERC's current projects, contact Mariane Medeiros, Senior Project Manager.