Printing/ Imaging Equipment

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Founded in 1970, the Ecology Center serves one purpose: protecting healthy people and a healthy planet. We believe that the central question of our time is how human beings are going to thrive in the world without destroying the earth's ability to sustain us. This can only be achieved with your support.

"Imaging equipment" includes office copiers, printers, and multifunction devices (MFDs).

Efficiently designed imaging equipment conserves natural resources by easily making two-sided copies, reducing toner and ink use, using recycled paper without jamming, containing recycled materials, and facilitating remanufacturing and recycling at the end of its useful life. EPEAT-registered imaging equipment complies with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, limits toxic chemical emissions from imaging equipment and meets the ENERGY STAR standard, saving energy, especially when in standby and sleep modes.

Proposed procurement goals:

Require all printers, copiers, and MFDs to have built-in capacity to do double-sided printing
100% of imaging equipment must:
- Be EPEAT certified
- Have no restrictions on the use of remanufactured toner cartridges
- Have no restrictions on the use of recycled paper
- Default to duplex printing
- Have a take-back provision
- Be remanufactured/ recycled at end of life
Eliminate individual desktop printers (unless absolutely necessary)
Require printing services to be purchased from companies participating in Printing Industry Midwest’s Great Green Printer initiative or certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership

Case studies and resources:

RPN’s Green Purchasing Best Practices: Imaging Equipment
Washington, DC’s specifications for imaging equipment (i.e., printers, copiers, and multi-function devices) includes the following requirements: Must default to duplex printing AND; Must have no restrictions on remanufactured toner cartridges AND either; EPEAT Registered OR; ENERGY STAR + RoHS-compliant + Provision for take-back service MUST be offered. RPN
Seattle, WA: Choose imaging equipment (particularly MFDs) that can easily scan documents to email or document storage. Require all printers, copiers, MFDs to have built-in capacity to do double-sided printing and set the equipment to default to duplexing. Choose vendors that can demonstrate that their imaging equipment works reliably with double-sided printing and copying (as well as with recycled-content paper). RPN