CE Groups to Tackle Environment at Kyoto Meeting
An “international approach” to national environmental regulation of certain materials, electronics recycling and energy efficiency are high on the agenda of a “trilateral” meeting of consumer electronics and information technology trade associations from the U.S., Europe and Japan in Kyoto April 17, officials said.
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Laws mimicking the European RoHS Directive that limits or bars use of certain substances in products have counterparts in China, Korea and California, said CEA Environmental Counsel Parker Brugge. Australia, Thailand, India, Argentina, Brazil and Taiwan are weighing materials restriction laws, he said. In the U.S., Washington state restricted use of lead in some products, and in New Jersey and other states regulators have shown interest in legislative curbs on lead, mercury and other chemicals.
The industry dislikes the European directive because it’s not “very transparent” on testing, Brugge said. “So we developed a set of principles” for “science-based and consistent” testing for substances that could be a guide for industry globally, he said. The principles also could be used to influence lawmakers and regulators in countries interested in materials restrictions, he said. But the industry says countries need not adopt RoHS-type laws because CE companies make products for global consumers, Brugge said: “They don’t sell one product in Europe and a separate product in the U.S.”
Forging a common approach on energy use disclosure on products, ensuring “adequate ways” of measuring energy use of products, and energy efficient design will be the focus of talks on energy issues, said Douglas Johnson, CEA senior director of technology policy. Access to “acceptable” test procedures for all major products matters to the Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star program and similar programs overseas, he said.
The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act directed the Federal Trade Commission to set energy use disclosure requirements for TVs, PCs, monitors, set-top boxes and DVRs. With that rulemaking process starting soon, industry wants to work with other U.S. stakeholders on an “industry solution” and to evolve a “common approach” globally in collaboration with European and Japanese trade groups, he said.
The associations will discuss ways to promote energy efficient design, Johnson said. The industry is committed to tell consumers how much energy products use, he said. “But along with that we feel it is very important to also have design principles and promulgate it throughout the industry.” Energy efficiency figures prominently in electronics design, he said: “We believe there is a good opportunity also to promote some common principles.”
Trade groups taking part are the CEA and the Information Technology Industry Council from the U.S., the European Information and Communications Technology Industry Association, and the Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industry Association.