This week, HP announced the greenest computer ever – the RP5700, and was awarded the first “gold” rating by EPEAT. How does HP make it to gold? First, by redesigning for end of life – 95% of components are recyclable, and the internal chassis can be taken apart by hand with no need for special tools for easy disassembly. Toxic and hazardous materials have been eliminated to meet the EU’s tight regulations, and both the plastic casing and external cardboard packaging source a percentage of post–consumer waste.
We’ve covered EPEAT before as the only third party tested tool designed to rate a computer’s environmental performance. Similar to the LEED rating system forbuildings, and now mandated for use in 95% of all government procurement of electronics, EPEAT grants bronze, silver and gold status at the product level.
Where HP makes the biggest strides is in reversing the trend toward shorter life machines determined intentionally through “planned obsolescence”. PC and Mac product manufacturers make engineering and design decisions that determine a product’s useful time span. The typical Mac or PC laptop is designed to last 2-3 years, while the RP5700 has a life expectancy of 5 years. In environmental impact terms, extending the useful life of a PC is a significant lever to reducing emissions during use, and energy burned during end-of-life disposal or recycling.
Design built to last…. This is one design trend we hope will last a long time.
+ HP RP5700
does this mean the box for the processor, keyboard and monitor are all
100% recyclable?