UL Environment and LG Electronics Announce First Third-Party Certified Sustainable Computer Monitor

NORTHBROOK, Ill., Jan. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- UL Environment, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Underwriters Laboratories, announced today that LG Electronics is the first company to earn UL Environment's new Sustainable Product Certification (SPC) for high tech equipment. LG's new 23-inch class* E2350VLED LCD computer monitor - to be introduced later this week at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas - is the first product to complete UL Environment's independent, third-party certification for meeting the IEEE 1680 environmental performance benchmark for consumer electronics, which includes ENERGY STAR® requirements for energy efficiency.

The LG monitor will be the first to carry the UL Environment Sustainable Product Certification mark, a green leaf encircling the familiar "UL" initials. UL Environment-certified environmental criteria include the elimination or reduction of certain hazardous substances that pose threats to human health and the environment. Ninety percent of the materials and parts used to make the E2350V monitor can be reused or recycled at the end of the product's useful life, reducing the amount of materials sent to landfills. The monitor is sold in packaging that is 90 percent recyclable as well.

UL Environment's testing confirmed that the LG monitor earned an IEEE 1680 Gold rating, the most stringent and prestigious of three levels of compliance. The E2350V is believed to be the only Gold-rated monitor on the market to achieve third-party certification of its sustainable attributes.

"LG is committed to environmental sustainability. We strive to design products that address the environmental impact of consumer electronics and offer consumers something better," said James Shad, President of LG Electronics USA. "Independent third-party certification by an organization with UL Environment's credibility and expertise underscores LG's sustainability achievements in the minds of consumers and retailers alike."

In order to determine compliance with the IEEE 1680 sustainability standard, UL Environment assessed product documentation and records, physically examined product samples, independently tested the product for compliance to ENERGY STAR® requirements and conducted onsite audits of manufacturing facilities.

"In an era when 'greenwashing' is growing more prevalent, UL Environment is proud to be able to certify to the public and reassure consumers that this product meets our holistic sustainability criteria for design, manufacture and end-of-life disposal," said Steve Wenc, President of UL Environment. "We expect that consumers who are already very familiar with the UL Mark for product safety will begin looking for the UL Environment Sustainable Product Certification mark as a credible, third-party endorsement of the product's environmental performance backed by rigorous scientific testing and auditing."

Supporting LG Electronics' worldwide "green" initiatives, the UL Environment Sustainable Product Certification adds to LG's distinction as the first consumer electronics manufacturer to have products assessed via the UL Environmental Claims Validation (ECV) program. The ECV program tests individual product environmental claims and provides companies with a source for independent, third-party green claims validation. UL Environment is also leading sustainability standards development efforts in multiple industries to create comprehensive guidelines for sustainable product development where they do not currently exist.

About LG Electronics USA

LG Electronics USA, Inc., based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., is the North American subsidiary of LG Electronics, Inc., a $45 billion global force and technology leader in consumer electronics, home appliances and mobile communications. In the United States, LG Electronics sells a range of stylish and innovative home entertainment products, mobile phones, home appliances and business solutions, all under LG's "Life's Good" marketing theme. For more information, please visit www.LGusa.com.

About UL Environment, Inc.

UL Environment (ULE) is helping support the growth and development of sustainable products and services in the global marketplace through standards development and independent third-party assessment and certification. ULE is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Underwriters Laboratories Inc., a global leader in conformity assessment that has been testing products and writing standards for more than a century. ULE currently offers Environmental Claims Validation (ECV), a service testing and validating manufacturers' self-declared environmental claims and Sustainable Product Certification (SPC), a service testing and certifying products to accepted industry standards for environmental sustainability. ULE is developing additional environmental standards, training and advisory services to support organizations in the sustainable products and services industry. For more information please visit www.ulenvironment.com.

*E2350V 23-inch class/23.0-inch diagonal

SOURCE LG Electronics USA, Inc.