7 A quick guide to: Buying ICT equipment, sustainable use, security cleansing and equipment disposal

Buying ICT equipment

Ref	Choose:	Avoid:
2.1	Suppliers who have implemented, or are planning to implement, an environmental management system that is consistent with ISO 14001: EMS³²: 2004, EMAS,³³ or a demonstrated equivalent standard. Independent accreditation to ISO 14001 and public CSR³⁴ reporting is preferred.	Suppliers who cannot provide evidence of sustainable manufacturing processes
2.2	Equipment that meets the European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive 2002/95/EC, where feasible.
2.3	Equipment made from materials with recycled content.
2.4	Equipment with the US Energy Star mark for power use.
2.5	Printers that have duplex printing functionality.
2.6	Liquid crystal display (LCD) monitors.	Cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors.
2.7	Suppliers who provide the option to take back equipment packaging where this cannot be reused or recycled by the buyer.
2.8	Eco-label certified equipment, where the labels have a third-party check or where there are independent verification processes for self-claim certification.
2.9	Suppliers who provide spare parts and service for the life of the equipment.	Suppliers unwilling to support equipment beyond 3-4 years.
2.10	Equipment that can be easily disassembled for maintenance.
2.11	Suppliers who provide take-back options for ICT equipment with a reuse and recycling service, and can also demonstrate environmentally sound disposal practices.	Suppliers who do not take responsibility for end-of-life equipment by providing safe environmental reuse, recycling or disposal.

Sustainable use

Ref	Choose:	Avoid:
3.1	Server centralisation or outsourcing to data centres.	Proliferation of server infrastructure in multiple sites (with associated costs of air-conditioned environments).
3.2	To set hard disks to turn off after 30 minutes of inactivity.*	Leaving non-critical computers powered on when not in use for more than 20-30 minutes.
3.2	A screen saver message reminding staff to turn equipment off when not in use.	Leaving screen savers running, as these consume power.
3.3	To set monitors to turn off after 10 minutes of inactivity.*
3.3	To train staff to turn off monitors, printers, scanners and other ICT equipment at night.
3.4	Laptops for office and staff flexibility.
3.4	To encourage the use of conferencing technologies – audio and video – for staff training and meetings, to reduce the need for travel.
3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8	Centralised multi-function networked printing and scanning devices, deployed based on a workflow studies.	Proliferation of desktop peripherals such as printers, scanners, fax machines.
3.6 3.7	To set printing defaults to duplex, black and white, and set these to automatically restore if they are changed.	Staff re-setting printing defaults to single-sided.

* These defaults are already set for Energy Star-compliant products.

Security-cleansing guidelines

Security cleansing of hard drives is a critical first step in the disposal of computer equipment. These security-cleansing guidelines are included primarily to draw attention to the issue, and are not intended as a substitute for, or to replace, the guidelines provided by the Government Communications Security Bureau on their website for government agencies (see Security in the Government Sector http://www.security.govt.nz/sigs/html/index.html).

Ref	Choose:	Avoid:
4.2	Security-wiping software compliant with US Department of Defense standard 5220.22-M, or equivalent.	Recyclers who do not use recognised security-wiping software and other secure disposal practices.
4.2	Recyclers who provide certification of successful security wiping.	Recyclers who do not provide certification of security wiping.
4.2	Physical destruction of hard drives with bad sectors by drilling.	Chemical and heat methods of destruction such as acid bath destruction.
4.2	In-house security cleaning of equipment used for highly classified and sensitive material.
4.3	Recyclers who can provide evidence of the chain of custody for the entire disposal process.
4.3	To remove SIM cards from all GSM mobile devices before disposal.
4.3	To manually delete all directory information from Telecom phones before disposal and return to factory settings.
4.3	The auto-synchronisation facility to delete all data in hand-held PDAs before disposal.	Storage of sensitive data on portable media.
4.3	Procedures and policies for restricting the storage of sensitive data on portable media.

Equipment disposal

Ref	Choose:	Avoid:
4.4	Take-back or reuse and recycling services in computer procurement contracts.	Buying equipment from companies that do not specify disposal procedures.
4.5 4.6	Trusted recyclers and refurbishers to dispose of monitors, computers, computer peripherals and fax machines using environmentally sound methods.³⁵	Sending monitors, computers, computer peripherals and fax machines to landfills.
4.7	Service contracts for ICT equipment such as multi-function printing devices, hand-helds and mobile phones.
4.8	Service providers who provide a collection service for the reuse and recycling of surplus handsets.	Sending surplus handsets to landfills.

32 EMS – Environmental Management System.

33 EMAS – Eco-Management and Audit Scheme.

34 CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility.

35 The Ministry for the Environment is developing good practice WEEE recycling guidelines. These will be available early 2008. Adherence to these guidelines could be made a contractual requirement for all refurbishers and recycling providers.

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