Television

Green purchasing guidance for televisions.

Required specifications

Purchasers must include these specifications, unless not possible:

RCW 39.26.265 directs state agencies to purchase sustainable electronic products meeting environmental performance standards that reduce or eliminate hazardous materials.
RCW 19.27A: Energy Related Building Standards established the state’s strong commitment to making public buildings models of energy efficiency, including purchasing products and services that are highly energy-efficient or powered with renewable energy (e.g., solar or wind).
EO 20-01: State Efficiency and Environmental Performance (SEEP) directs state agencies to “dramatically reduce energy use in state-owned facilities.”
EO 04-01: Persistent Toxic Chemicals directs the State to make available for purchase and use equipment, supplies, and other products that do not contain persistent and bioaccumulative toxic (PBT) chemicals, unless there is no feasible alternative.
In addition, DES' Electronics Products Purchasing Preference (POL-DES-265-00) establishes bid preferences authorized in RCW 39.26.265 for agencies purchasing electronic products that meet environmental performance standards relating to the reduction or elimination of hazardous materials. Specifically:
- All applicable electronics (e.g., servers, computers and displays, imaging equipment, mobile phones, and televisions) must be on the EPEAT Registry at the Bronze level or higher or meet another environmental standard that reduces the use of hazardous substances (e.g., the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive);
If EPEAT-registered televisions are not available that meet the state’s technical requirements, bidders shall offer and clearly label TCO Certified televisions and ENERGY STAR-certified and RoHS-compliant televisions.

Preferred specifications

Purchasers should include these specifications, unless not possible:

Electronics on the EPEAT Registry at the Silver or Gold level are eligible for a purchasing preference of at least 5%
Additional desirable EPP attributes for television purchases include the following:
- Products on the current ENERGY STAR Most Efficient List; and
- Products that comply with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, which means it is free of lead solder, PBDE flame retardants, and several other chemicals of concern
RCW 70A.350 the Pollution Prevention for Health People and Puget Sound Act directs Ecology to cyclically identify priority chemicals, priority products and then implement restrictions or reporting through rulemaking or take no action. At this point in time, halogenated flame retardants in the casings of electric and electronic equipment have been identified as a priority chemical-product combination but regulations have not been finalized.

Laws, rules, and executive orders

These laws, rules, and executive orders must be included in the contract language:

Find these products on statewide contracts

Find products that meet Washington’s green purchasing specifications:

Contract 03418: Audio-Visual Solutions
Contract 05820: Computer equipment, related peripherals & services (NVP)

End of life

Surplus goods that still can be used

Use surplus disposal to get rid of items you no longer need. Keep materials out of landfills and make funds for your agency.

Recycling and disposal

Hazardous waste disposal guidelines and options:

Department of Ecology: Dispose, recycle, or treat dangerous waste
Washington Recycles