Epson Joins Newly Expanded Worldwide EPEAT Green Rating System for Imaging Equipment

LONG BEACH, Calif., Feb. 12, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Epson America today announced support for and inclusion in the newly expanded EPEAT^® registry, the definitive global registry for greener electronics.  Driven by congressional leaders, environmental groups, leading manufacturers and institutional purchasers at an event today in Washington, D.C., the EPEAT registry now includes printers, scanners, copiers and multifunction devices to help companies, governments and consumers compare and purchase greener imaging equipment. The expanded registry now includes a number of Epson multifunction and large format printers, with more devices to be added as they are deemed compliant with EPEAT's environmental requirements.

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"Epson's inclusion in the EPEAT registry underscores a longstanding commitment to environmental responsibility and performance," said Colin Donahoe, director of business imaging, Epson America. "We have already registered a number of devices with EPEAT based on their environmental criteria, and Epson worldwide is working to continually expand the number of devices on the EPEAT registry to make it easier for consumers and organizations to identify and purchase greener printers."

To be added to the EPEAT registry, an imaging device must meet at least 33 required environmental performance criteria that were developed during a four-year stakeholder consensus process that involved hundreds of representatives from the environmental, research, governmental, and manufacturing sectors.  EPEAT rates products on a lifecycle basis, addressing the elimination of toxic substances, the use of recycled and recyclable materials, their design for recycling, product longevity, energy efficiency, corporate performance and packaging, among other criteria. More information is available at http://www.epeat.net.

"I'm pleased to count Epson among the pioneers of EPEAT's new Imaging Equipment category," said Robert Frisbee, EPEAT CEO. "As a founding manufacturer, Epson is forging a path toward a world filled with greener options for imaging equipment and multifunction devices."

More than 533 million EPEAT-registered products have been purchased since the original PC/Display rating system debuted in July 2006. The availability of these products has contributed to the elimination of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 11 million U.S. vehicles' annual impact, reducing more than 394,000 metric tons of hazardous waste and solid waste by nearly 167,000 metric tons.  This reduction is equivalent to nearly 86,000 U.S. households' annual waste.

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 Epson

Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader whose product lineup ranges from inkjet printers and 3LCD projectors to sensors and other microdevices. Dedicated to exceeding the vision of its customers worldwide, Epson delivers customer value based on compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies in markets spanning enterprise and the home to commerce and industry.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 81,000 employees in 97 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. Epson America, Inc. based in Long Beach, Calif. is Epson's regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: www.Epson.com.

You may also connect with Epson America on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EpsonAmerica), Twitter (http://twitter.com/EpsonAmerica) and (http://twitter.com/EpsonProImaging) and YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/EpsonTV).

EPSON is a registered trademark, EPSON Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2013 Epson America, Inc.

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