Understanding Sustainability
Customer demand for environmentally friendly digital imaging products has increased over the past several years. When it comes to determining the environmental friendliness of digital imaging equipment and that of its manufacturer, there are many factors for the customer to consider. They include:
- Energy consumption (energy save modes, how fuser works)
- Paper (handles recycled paper; defaults to duplex)
- Waste (consumables, packaging, page yield and toner saving modes)
- Impact of manufacturing and disposing of the product (chemical, global warming, biodegradable)
There are also a number of areas where equipment differs. While each manufacturer we surveyed claims to design its products with recycling in mind and to use recycled materials to remanufacture new products, less than half have a hardware recycling program and only half offer a toner cartridge recycling program.
When talking to a vendor, there are a number of questions you can ask to find out more on the environmental friendliness of their devices:
What chemicals are used in the product?
What eco-logo certifications does the product have and what directives does it comply with?
How is the device cleaned?
Are parts procured from environmentally friendly manufacturers?
Does the manufacturer have proof that they are environmentally friendly?
Does it accommodate recycled toner cartridges and recycled paper?
How much water and natural resources were consumed to make the product?
There are a number of things you can do once you own the device to be environmentally friendly as well. For example, make sure you activate the unit's duplexing features and sleep mode and place the unit at least four feet from any workstation to reduce noise and air pollution from bothering nearby workers. In addition, during closing or off peak hours, turn the machine off. Also be sure it complies with International Blue Angel standards, which is one of the most comprehensive eco-labels available.
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