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Proclamation, new task force focus on electronic waste

WASHINGTON – Yesterday, on America Recycles Day, President Obama signed a proclamation celebrating the strides the country has made in recycling generally, while also highlighting the need for greater attention to addressing electronic waste (e-waste).  Last week, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the General Services Administration (GSA) formed a task force, under the Executive Order on Federal Sustainability, charged with helping the federal government lead by example in responsibly managing used electronics.

Electronic waste from old cell phones, computers and other devices often contains toxic chemicals and heavy metals.  Most of this waste is landfilled, which creates potential health and environmental hazards throughout the U.S., and a significant part of the rest is shipped to developing countries that lack the capacity to manage these wastes safely, threatening the health and environment of those communities.  Reusing and recycling e-waste reduces the risks from these hazards and also provides opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint and conserve valuable natural resources.

“Used electronics represent the fastest growing segment of local solid waste in our country. Far too many used electronics end up in landfills or are exported to nations where there is little capacity for safe management.  Rather than benefitting from the reuse and recycling of valuable components, we see increased exposure to the toxic chemicals and other harmful substances in electronic devices,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson.  “EPA has made the handling of used electronics and e-waste one of our top priorities, and through this task force the U.S. can become the world leader in sustainable electronics management.  There are cost-effective and potentially profitable methods to better manage these materials and prevent health and environmental threats at home and around the world.”

“The federal government has a responsibility to ensure that its own waste is properly managed and recycled,” said Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. “Identifying opportunities to reuse the valuable resources contained in most disposed electronic devices is an important part of our obligation to protect human health and the environment.”

“Already one of the largest consumers of electronics, we plan to make the federal government the most responsible,” said GSA Administrator Martha Johnson.  “Not only will we reduce the federal government’s footprint, we will model behavior for private consumers and use our position in the marketplace to drive the development of sustainable electronics and recycling solutions.”

The interagency task force, co-chaired by EPA, GSA, and CEQ, will develop a national strategy for responsible electronics stewardship, including improvements to federal procedures for managing electronic products. This strategy will also include steps to ensure electronics containing hazardous materials collected for recycling and disposal are not exported to developing nations that lack the capacity to manage the recovery and disposal of these products in ways that safeguard human health and the environment.

On October 11, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson visited the town of Guiyu in Guandong Province, China.  Guiyu is noteworthy for its large electronic waste recycling industry.  Administrator Jackson saw firsthand some of the approaches being used to recycle and reuse discarded electronics and appliances and discussed remaining challenges and opportunities for collaboration.

Reusing or recycling electronics helps the environment by reducing our carbon footprint and conserving resources.  Electronic equipment contains valuable materials, such as precious metals and rare earth minerals, which can be recycled.  Recycling these components conserves materials, prevents air and water pollution, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions that occur during extraction, manufacturing and processing.  For example, for every 1 million cell phones recycled, 75 pounds of gold, 772 pounds of silver, 33 pounds of palladium, and more than 35,000 pounds of copper can be recovered.

Electronics and other products are usually created from raw materials that are extracted from the Earth, transported and processed, distributed, consumed, reused or recycled, and ultimately disposed.  Each of these stages creates impacts on the environment, which are unsustainable with limited natural resources.  By making smarter choices, consuming less, and reusing and recycling, everyone can contribute to a healthier and more sustainable environment.  Also, by promoting responsible electronics stewardship,    green jobs can be created and a vibrant American reuse, recycling and refurbishing industry can be built. 

The presidential proclamation is a time to think about creating a sustainable environment by being responsible consumers.  By reusing, recycling, and being smarter in the amounts and types of materials used, people can save energy, conserve fewer natural resources, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The president’s proclamation: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/2010recycles.prc.rel.pdf

Can you help us get to a quarter of a million viewers by Black Friday?

Today the new Story of Electronics film was released – an short, engaging look at why we are burning through THREE MILLION TONS of electronics every year in the U.S. – and sending most of it to the landfill.

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition partnered with Annie Leonard and the Story of Stuff team in making this film, which challenges the  ‘design for the dump’ mentality so prevalent in the electronics industry.  

And it’s not just the mountain of e-waste that’s cause for concern. It’s the impact of the whole lifecycle of electronics that’s alarming. Making all these devices takes an enormous environmental and public health toll. Mining the metals trashes communities around the globe. Assembling them uses huge amounts of water and energy and exposes workers to a host of toxic chemicals. And getting rid of them means e-waste in the trash, or e-waste exported to and dumped on developing nations.

But we know the electronics industry can do better.

We released the Story of Electronics to send a clear message to the electronics industry:  it’s time to send that design for the dump mentality to the dump where it belongs and start making less toxic, longer lasting and more easily recyclable products.

Our goal is to get a quarter of a million people to watch The Story of Electronics by Black Friday, just over two weeks from now.  You can help us reach this goal by:
• Watching The Story of Electronics;
• Sharing the movie with your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, fellow students and anyone else you think might be interested;
• Reading Annie’s Huffington Post piece about the movie, and then commenting on it, liking it or sharing it.

Please let us know what you think of the film on our facebook page.

Thanks!

Washington, D.C., November 9, 2010 – The Alliance to Save Energy today applauded Vice President Biden’s announcement of a three-pronged federal initiative designed to create green jobs in the home improvement field while helping U.S. homeowners save money through energy efficiency.

The two-year pilot program is designed to overcome several barriers that have hindered development of a strong home energy retrofit market: lack of information about a home’s energy use and the benefits of energy efficiency upgrades; uncertainty about the qualifications of workers in the home energy field; and lack of financing for sometimes costly energy efficiency measures.

Under the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Home Energy Score pilot program, homeowners will be able to get straightforward, reliable information about their home’s energy use.

Trained and certified contractors will use a standardized assessment tool developed by DOE and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory to score a home’s energy use on a scale of 1-10, estimate how much money could be saved by making energy retrofits and generate a customized list of recommended improvements with the annual savings and estimated payback time for each one.

DOE said the Home Energy Score initially will be tested with local government, utility and nonprofit partners in 10 pilot communities across the country, located in both urban and rural areas and with a wide range of climates.

Another key feature of the program is that low-interest loans of up to $25,000 will be available through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA)’s new PowerSaver loan program. Federally insured loans for energy efficiency upgrades will be available for terms of up to 15 years.

Homeowners will be able to use the loans to finance the home improvements of their choice – including insulation, duct sealing and efficient doors, windows, HVAC systems and water heaters – based on a list of proven, cost-effective measure developed by FHA and DOE.

FHA says PowerSaver interest rates will be as low as or lower than those associated with comparable financing options, and that the federal insurance will make the PowerSaver loans widely available. FHA is now seeking participating lenders for the pilot program and hopes to announce them, and the 10 eligible communities, early next year.

The third component of the three-part initiative, also announced today by DOE, is development of a uniform set of national guidelines for training residential retrofit workers. DOE said the guidelines are intended to give consumers confidence that work is being completed correctly and generating the expected savings.

“Reducing monthly utility bills is still one of the best ways to trim a household budget,” said Alliance President Kateri Callahan. “The new initiatives announced today by Vice President Biden – which include the all-important element of widely-available financing – will help U.S. homeowners understand how to save energy in their homes while making those home improvements affordable.

“Until today,” Callahan continued, “no single major program has been able to break down the barriers to home energy retrofits by providing up-front information and financing to homeowners.”

The test phase will gauge how homeowners respond to the program and whether the information they receive encourages them to get energy improvements done on their homes. After the pilot tests conclude in late spring 2011, DOE expects to launch the Home Energy Score nationally later next year, based on the findings from the initial programs.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy and national security.

Learn about all our work at ase.org and how to save energy and money through energy efficiency at LivingEfficiently.org.

For further information:
Ronnie Kweller: 202-530-2203 (office); 202-276-9327 (mobile)

Today’s Facility Manager

Between 2005 and 2009, fluorescent ballast regulations imposed by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) became effective in phases, limiting availability of T12 magnetic ballasts in new fixtures. In July 2010, the final phase of these regulations went into effect, virtually eliminating fluorescent F40T12, F96T12 and F96T12HO magnetic ballasts from the market. This includes both full wattage and energy saving versions (e.g., ballasts for 34W T12 lamps) as well as replacement ballasts—with few exceptions.

According to the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), about seven percent of the fluorescent ballast market is magnetic ballasts. This is an indicator that this type of ballast is no longer popular in new construction, but they continue to be purchased to service existing installations. As facility managers (fms) and distributors deplete their inventories of these ballasts, they will have to make the switch to more efficient lighting systems.

The final nail, however, is coming in 2012. In that year, new DOE fluorescent lamp regulations will take effect, strengthening standards for lamp types covered by previous regulation while also covering 8′ T8, 4′ T5, along with more wattages of 4′ T8 and T12 lamps. The net result, with few exceptions, is that a majority of 4′ linear and 2′ U-shaped T12, many 8′ T12 and T12HO, and some low color rendering 4′ T8 lamps will be eliminated.

According to NEMA, about 30% of fluorescent 4′ lamps sold each year are T12. As with magnetic ballasts, they are not popular in new construction, but there are millions installed in existing buildings. In 2012, fms will have no choice but to upgrade.

Scheduling The Changes

A basic choice will be whether to replace an existing T12 lighting system all at once in a planned upgrade or to replace individual components as they fail. Replacing the entire system may seem challenging because of the upfront cost for equipment and installation labor; in addition, fms must accept the idea of disposing of ballasts that may still be providing reliable operation.

However, having maintenance staff replace individual components as they fail presents severe disadvantages. First, with T12 lamps being phased out soon, it makes little sense to buy electronic T12 ballasts, so the next basic option is an electronic ballasted T8 system. Since a T8 ballast must operate a compatible T8 lamp, a maintenance department would have to replace the ballast plus the lamps that the ballast operates.

This would result in a mix of T12 and T8 ballasts and lamps in inventory ad also in the general lighting system, which could cause confusion, risk performance problems due to incompatibilities, potentially have a negative impact on lighting conditions and appearance, and deny opportunities to reevaluate the lighting system and take advantage of good lighting practices and volume purchasing.

Fms are seizing these opportunities. According to a survey conducted in February 2010 by Today’s Facility Manager (TFM) and NEMA EnLIGHTen America, 54% of responding fms plan to conduct lighting upgrades within the next three years. (The TFM April 2010 article reporting on the results of this lighting survey can be found here.)

Once a decision is made to upgrade the lighting system, the fm has taken control of the situation and can work to maximize the impact of new lighting. A major benefit is energy costs savings. In this regard, substantial opportunities can be found in buildings that use older technologies (such as T12 systems), that have very high utility costs, and where lighting is uncontrolled and left on all night. T12 systems, for example, can be upgraded to realize energy savings as high as 50% or more in offices, classrooms, and other applications.

The next basic choice facing the fm is whether to retrofit or redesign a lighting system. In a retrofit, new lamps and ballasts are installed in existing fixtures and existing controls replaced. In a redesign, the fixtures themselves may be replaced or moved.

While energy is important, productivity is also very important to businesses. Studies show that large numbers of people are unsatisfied with the lighting in their workspaces. According to a 1999 office lighting study conducted by Steelcase, 38% of workers said the lighting in their workspaces was either too dim or too bright.  Further, three out of four workers said better lighting would improve their efficiency and productivity, and two out of three said they would be more creative.

Fms who are interested in an energy saving retrofit, therefore, may instead actually need a redesign that not only reduces energy consumption, but that also improves lighting quality. According to the TFM/NEMA EnLIGHTen America survey, all respondents consider improving occupant satisfaction with the facility, and the organization overall, as an important goal of a lighting upgrade project.

Good lighting quality, according to the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), accounts for factors such as visual comfort, glare, uniformity, color rendering, lighting on walls and ceilings, and harsh patterns, shadows, and flicker. If a facility’s primary spaces have been retasked for new purposes for which the existing lighting system provides insufficient lighting conditions (or uniformity is poor, there is little light on walls and ceilings, or there are obvious, unaddressed sources of glare), and if occupants are unhappy with their lighting, then a redesign may provide the most benefit.

Executing The Project

Once these decisions are made, what follows is a normal retrofit or renovation. Energy efficient lighting technologies have been undergoing development for decades, and there are many reliable solutions now available from manufacturers. Regarding lamps and ballasts, fms can consider T8 systems. There are now 23W, 25W, 28W, 32W (normal output), and 32W (high output, or “Super T8”) T8 lamps available, which offer a choice of power and light output.

There are also electronic ballasts available with a range of efficiencies and ballast factors, enabling further tuning of light output. The most efficient ballasts carry the NEMA Premium mark on the ballast label.

Regarding fixtures, fms can consider T5 systems, direct/indirect lighting, and, if recessed, volumetric-distribution fixtures that place some light on walls to eliminate the “cave effect” common with some parabolic fixtures.

Meanwhile, LED lighting offers opportunities to improve efficiency dramatically. Still, the overall technology remains relatively new, and fms should proceed with caution, particularly hen confronted by options such as LED T8 lamp replacements, which have not fared well in independent product testing at the DOE. (For results from past DOE testing of LED lighting, visit this DOE Website.)

Respondents of the survey conducted by TFM/EnLIGHTen America earlier this year weighed in on their current and potential use of LED lighting, with 42% stating they do not currently use this type of lighting in their facilities. Meanwhile, 36.8% said LEDs are used in signage and displays at their facilities, followed by other space types (lobbies, 13.8%; exteriors, 9.9%; desktops, 5.7%; and general office, 5.2%).

Money Saving Lighting Resources

Facility managers should make themselves aware, and take advantage of, numerous resources available to support lighting upgrades. To name a few…

Energy codes and LEED for Existing Buildings can provide helpful guidance.

Utilities in more than 30 states continue to offer rebates for energy saving lighting equipment and/or reductions in energy consumption.

The federal Commercial Buildings Tax Deduction offers an accelerated tax deduction up to $0.30-$0.60/sq.ft. for lighting upgrades under its Interim Lighting Rule (www.lightingtaxdeduction.org).

Lighting manufacturers can offer a great deal of support and expertise.

The Lighting Controls Association offers free online education about lighting controls (www.aboutlightingcontrols.org).

The NEMA EnLIGHTen America Website at www.nemasavesenergy.org provides general education and access to reputable manufacturers.

The Department of Energy’s Commercial Lighting Solutions Web tool offers lighting and control templates for redesigning lighting systems to exceed ASHRAE 90.1-2004 by up to 30% in office and retail buildings.

Lighting Controls

When upgrading their lighting systems, fms should keep in mind the benefit that can be gleaned from controls. As such, they will want to consider including lighting controls as part of the project. According to the New Buildings Institute, advanced lighting controls—which are mandatory in new construction due to energy codes—can reduce lighting energy consumption by up to 50% in existing buildings.

At first, adding controls may seem daunting because pulling low-voltage communicating wiring connecting the devices adds cost to the project. For this reason, the easiest way controls can be included in a lighting upgrade is to choose solutions that involve the least amount of rewiring or by swapping out older ballasts and controls with newer equipment. Upgrade options include occupancy sensors, low voltage relay panels, line voltage dimming ballasts, and wireless controls.

Beyond voluntary moves toward increased energy efficiency, the regulatory mandates from the DOE and building codes at all levels are affecting the work of fms. Planning for lighting system upgrades and other changes now will help to ease the transition to better lit, less energy consuming facilities that also satisfy mandates.

by: Craig DiLouie (Thank you!)