Ricoh joins EPEAT Imaging Equipment Program to promote green purchasing

MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Every business wants to be green, but it can be harder than it looks. When you're purchasing office equipment, for example, how do you determine which ones are the greenest?

To simplify and promote green purchasing, Ricoh Americas Corporation today detailed its participation in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) program, the definitive global registry for greener electronics (www.epeat.net/). For the past three years, Ricoh has worked with EPEAT and other stakeholders to develop 59 definitive environmental criteria for Imaging Equipment. Today, the EPEAT registry expanded to include devices such as printers, copiers, multi-function products and other equipment.

EPEAT is a comprehensive green purchasing standard based upon environmental design attributes, such as, energy efficiency, recycled and recyclable materials, product longevity, packaging, and environmental programs a manufacturer has in place. EPEAT provides purchasers the capability to easily compare environmental performance and practices of various manufacturers in a standardized format.

"The EPEAT registry will help technology buyers make smart purchases that advance their company's sustainability initiatives, reducing their environmental footprint and resulting costs," said Jay Dizzine, Vice President, Technology Marketing, Ricoh Americas Corporation. "Without EPEAT, it can be time-consuming, difficult and confusing for purchasing professionals to wade through all the specifications that may factor into sustainability or comprehend a manufacturer's environmental program for the entire lifecycle of a product. We have Gold- and Silver-rated products today with many more to come, exemplifying our commitment to global leadership in environmental sustainability and the partnership with our customers."

For more than six years, EPEAT has helped companies, governments and consumers compare and purchase greener PCs and monitors, resulting in significant environmental benefits. Today's expansion into imaging equipment was heralded by congressional leaders, environmental groups, leading manufacturers and institutional purchasers.

"I applaud Ricoh for registering such a diverse range of products in EPEAT's new Imaging Equipment category," said Robert Frisbee, EPEAT CEO. "Ricoh's proactive decision to embrace the EPEAT standards shows their commitment to environmental excellence across their product lines."

EPEAT's impact
To be added to the EPEAT Bronze registry, an imaging device must meet at least 33 required environmental performance criteria. Products may achieve higher Silver and Gold ratings by meeting up to 26 additional optional criteria. The rating criteria were developed during a four-year stakeholder consensus process that involved hundreds of representatives from the environmental, research, governmental and manufacturing sectors.

According to EPEAT:

• EPEAT's original PC/Monitor rating system is used as an environmental requirement by eight national governments, including the United States, and thousands of purchasers worldwide. Purchase contracts that require EPEAT registration exceed $65 billion. More than 50 manufacturers have registered their "greener" PCs, monitors, copiers, printers and scanners in more than 40 countries. More than 533 million EPEAT-registered products have been purchased since the original registry debuted in July 2006. 
• Since 2006, purchasers choosing EPEAT-registered electronics over products that don't meet the system's criteria have eliminated greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 11 million U.S. vehicles' annual impact, avoided more than 394,000 metric tons of hazardous waste and reduced solid waste by nearly 167,000 metric tons – equivalent to nearly 86,000 U.S. households' annual waste.

The EPEAT imaging standard is based on the specification Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1680.2 Standard for Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment.

For details on Ricoh's full line of products, services and solutions, please visit www.ricoh-usa.com/about/epeat/.

About EPEAT
EPEAT is the definitive global registry for greener electronics. The registry includes the most products from the broadest range of manufacturers and spans the widest array of countries. EPEAT combines strict, comprehensive criteria for design, production, energy use and recycling with ongoing independent verification of manufacturer claims. More than 533 million EPEAT-registered products have been sold worldwide since 2006, resulting in significant environmental benefits. EPEAT was developed through a stakeholder consensus process and is managed by the Green Electronics Council, a non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon. Learn more at EPEAT.net.

| About Ricoh |
Ricoh is a global technology company specializing in office imaging equipment, production print solutions, document management systems and IT services. Headquartered in Tokyo, Ricoh Group operates in more than 200 countries and regions. In the financial year ending March 2012, Ricoh Group had worldwide sales of 1,903 billion yen (approx. 23 billion USD).

The majority of the company's revenue comes from products, solutions and services that improve the interaction between people and information. Ricoh also produces award-winning digital cameras and specialized industrial products. It is known for the quality of its technology, the exceptional standard of its customer service and sustainability initiatives.

Under its corporate tagline, imagine. change. Ricoh helps companies transform the way they work and harness the collective imagination of their employees.

For further information, please visit
www.ricoh.com/about/ 

© 2013 Ricoh Americas Corporation. All rights reserved. All referenced product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

Contact:

John Greco
Ricoh Americas Corporation
(973) 882-2023
[email protected] 

Jill Searl
Brodeur Partners
(603) 559-5824
[email protected] 

SOURCE Ricoh Americas Corporation