EPA to Sunset ENERGY STAR Programs for EPSs & End-Use Products Using EPSs
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the following letter to External Power Supply (EPS) and End-Use Products Using EPSs Stakeholders:
"The purpose of this letter is to inform stakeholders of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) decision to sunset the ENERGY STAR® programs for EPSs and End-Use Products Using EPSs. As proposed in the May 2010 communication, these two ENERGY STAR programs will be sunset effective on December 31, 2010.
EPA wishes to thank stakeholders who submitted comments on EPA’s sunset proposal. Each comment was considered carefully and will be reflected in the Stakeholder Comment-EPA Response Summary, which will be posted to the ENERGY STAR Web site shortly. While EPA appreciates the interest expressed by some stakeholders in preserving their ability to continue to take advantage of the ENERGY STAR label, the stakeholder feedback was relatively limited and did not provide compelling information contradicting the rationale to sunset.
As noted in the May 26, 2010 letter, the following factors contributed to EPA’s decision to sunset: 1) relatively high ENERGY STAR market penetration; 2) existing U.S. federal minimum efficiency standards for EPSs; 3) diminishing scope of the End-Use Products Using EPSs program because of new ENERGY STAR product specifications, such as small network equipment; and 4) ability to maintain and add EPS requirements to the existing suite of ENERGY STAR product categories.
Of note, it is EPA’s intention that current ENERGY STAR product specifications with requirements for the use of an ENERGY STAR EPS (e.g., computers, displays, televisions) will be changed to require a Level V EPS as designated under the International Efficiency Marking Protocol, which is consistent with ENERGY STAR Version 2.0 EPS performance levels. Information about the Protocol will continue to be available at www.energystar.gov.
For applicable product categories, these changes will occur as part of the specification revision process associated with enhanced testing and verification requirements. Also, EPA is exploring potential changes to the ENERGY STAR Battery Charging Systems (BCS) specification to broaden eligibility to certain product categories currently covered by the End-Use Products Using EPSs program (e.g., cell phones).
EPA will continue to recognize EPSs, End-Use Products Using EPSs and their manufacturers at www.energystar.gov until December 31, 2010.
Manufacturers must stop using the ENERGY STAR name and ENERGY STAR mark or EPS graphic in association with all products manufactured on or after December 31, 2010. (Qualified products manufactured before that date are allowed to carry the ENERGY STAR mark or EPS graphic on their packaging and product literature, as applicable. Retailers and distributors will be allowed to sell off their existing inventory.)
No new promotional materials for EPSs and End-Use Products Using EPSs (printed and electronic) featuring the ENERGY STAR mark or EPS graphic may be produced after December 31, 2010. (Manufacturers are allowed to use up existing printed material, including packaging, in order to minimize waste.)
To minimize the cost of labeling changes and be in compliance by December 31, 2010, manufacturers of EPSs and End-Use Products Using EPSs may remove ENERGY STAR references on websites or in other collateral materials as these materials are reprinted or changed in the coming months."
