Seattle wins 2022 EPEAT Purchaser Award for sustainable electronics procurement

The City of Seattle has been awarded the 2022 EPEAT Purchaser Award, which recognises sustainable electronics procurement leaders.

The award was granted by the Global Electronics Council (GEC), a non-profit organisation responsible for managing the EPEAT ecolabel.

EPEAT enables the City of Seattle to manage the lifetime implications of the electronics we acquire, including computers, displays, printers, copiers, network equipment, mobile phones, servers, solar modules, inverters, and TVs, in an effective manner.

The effect of sustainability is an annual savings of $178,966.

These savings are equivalent to:

• The water use of four Olympic-sized swimming pools
• A material conservation equal to the weight of 2,470 bricks
• A GHG reduction equal to removing 201 typical U.S. passenger vehicles off the road for one year
• An amount of energy savings comparable to the yearly power use of 362 typical U.S. homes
• The amount of solid garbage produced annually by 49 ordinary US homes.

In buying contracts, Seattle Information Technology uses EPEAT to stipulate that our suppliers must only offer devices that fulfil stringent sustainability requirements.

These items are more energy-efficient, less hazardous, more durable, and simpler to recycle than those that do not fulfil EPEAT standards, while also addressing labour and human rights concerns throughout the whole production chain.

The City of Seattle is happy to have gained this accreditation and is dedicated to continuing to purchase environmentally friendly electronics!

On July 28, a virtual ceremony honoured the City of Seattle for its dedication to sustainable IT procurement.

Seattle also received this award in 2016, 2018, and 2019.