DESIGNING PRODUCTS WITH THE ENVIRONMENT IN MIND
The environmental performance of products has become a key issue for businesses, as society and consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of the products they use. Our Design for Environment efforts focus on minimizing the environmental impacts of our products in these essential areas.
Lexmark Product Environmental Specification
In 2009, Lexmark released an updated version of the Lexmark Product Environmental Specification. This publicly available specification defines the minimum environmental requirements for the design, manufacture and marketing of Lexmark parts and products. These requirements are based on global regulatory obligations, international treaties and conventions and certain market demands. The 2009 update included an update to the list of substances that are prohibited from use in Lexmark products. This includes the addition of the phthalates DEHP, DBP and BBP as well as the brominated flame retardant HBCDD which have all been recommended for addition to Annex XIV (substances subject to authorization) of the European Union REACH Regulation 1907/2006. Lexmark plans to eliminate the use of these substances from our products well in advance of global use restrictions. The 2009 update also included an expansion of the list of required reportable substances that suppliers must disclose. Lexmark is also explicitly prohibiting the use of BFRs, CFRs and PVC in all Lexmark developed mechanical plastic parts except fuser assemblies.
To support these efforts, Lexmark invested in and began implementing a new materials content data collection and management system. This system will optimize our ability to communicate with our suppliers regarding substances used in parts and assemblies they provide to Lexmark for use in our products. This system will also increase our ability to respond to customer inquiries on the presence of substances of concern in our products and to address regulatory issues regarding substances of concern.
Lexmark Product Environmental Specifications Links
Product Environmental Specifications are available here as pdfs.
Environmental Specification (English) Click here Environmental Specification (Simplified Chinese) Click here
Declaration of Conformity Click here.
To clearly understand the environmental impact of our printers, we examine each phase of a product's life, from manufacturing to end-of-life, using a product Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).
Lexmark uses the standardized LCA to analyze our products in accordance with the ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 methods. We commissioned LCA studies on our laser and inkjet products to third-party environmental companies. The LCA studies were performed in compliance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044, including an independent review.
The LCA study measured our products’ environmental impact on multiple indicators, in accordance with a methodology established in 2002 by the Institute of Environmental Sciences, Leiden University, in the Netherlands. Some of the environmental indicators measured include the following.
CASE STUDY
Lexmark X646dte MFP
Recently, a life cycle assessment was performed by an independent organization on the Lexmark X646dte MFP, one of the company’s best-selling products. Read More
The LCA studies provided a realistic, data-based assessment of tradeoffs in product design, manufacturing, transportation, end life and the potential to make system-wide improvements. Lexmark incorporates the LCA results into our product design process to develop sustainable products that combine high standards of performance, efficiency and environmental stewardship.
Lexmark commissioned LCAs for some of our recent products and cartridges in 2010, including the Lexmark X736de color laser MFP and the new generation of Vizix inkjet cartridges.
The color laser printer assessment indicated the main environmental carbon and water footprint of the Lexmark X736de color laser MFP results from the "use" phase, with the majority of the impact (62 percent for carbon footprint and 85.4 percent for water footprint), attributed to the paper that is consumed during the printing phase.1
Comparing the carbon and water footprint of the new generation of inkjet cartridges Vizix, with the previous integrated inkjet cartridges, the life cycle assessment determined a 30 percent reduction in the carbon footprint and a 60 percent reduction in the water footprint for Vizix inkjet cartridges.2
At Lexmark, we continually strive to update our products with innovative features that make them more energy efficient. For example, Lexmark’s C79x / X79x product family features Lexmark's highest-speed instant warm-up fuser – the fastest color belt fuser on the market – as well a dramatic reduction in ready mode power consumption and an 87-percent reduction in time to print from sleep* versus earlier models of this product.
Lexmark has also introduced a new machine power architecture that allows different parts of the machine to be turned off while in sleep mode, thereby reducing power consumption. Hibernate mode is a new, ultra-low mode that helps reduce energy consumption when a product is not in use for extended periods of time. Users can program their products to automatically enter and exit Hibernate mode at chosen times of day and days of the week.
Acoustics is the science of sound and vibration. Designing products for the environment includes considering audio comfort in the workplace. Lexmark printers offer an ideal combination of performance and quiet operation to aid in increased worker comfort and thus productivity.
Lexmark’s design teams assess our equipment acoustics and focus on reducing unwanted noise while selectively incorporating helpful sounds. Finding technical solutions to “noise pollution” requires creativity and innovation. All laser products announced since 2009 have been designed with a quiet mode feature that allows users to adjust the sound level of their printer to meet their personal preferences.
Germany’s Blue Angel eco-label was one of the first to include noise levels in its certification criteria. Today, all of Lexmark’s laser printing products meet the noise requirement in the Blue Angel specification.
Emissions from printers in the workplace are subject to the occupational exposure limits of individual countries for specific chemicals. Lexmark printers are tested throughout their development for emission of styrene, benzene, ozone, total and individual volatile organic compounds and total particulate. Ultra fine particulate is included but is not distinguished.
All laser printers emit small amounts of volatile organic compounds due to the heating of plastic parts and produce small amounts of dust (mostly paper fragments) as a result of moving paper through the printer.
Current Lexmark laser printers do not generate more than trace amounts of ozone. The printing technology that resulted in significant ozone generation is no longer used.
All Lexmark printer families are tested for emissions following the protocols of the internationally recognized German Blue Angel environmental certification. Results are compared to the Blue Angel limits and summary reports are available to customers upon request.
Product Environmental Profile Sheets
Click here for current Product Environmental Profile Sheets.
[1] Results are based on the LCA of the Lexmark X736de color laser MFP. This ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 compliant life cycle assessment was conducted by Bio Intelligence Services.
[2] Results are based on the life cycle assessment of Vizix and integrated inkjet cartridges used to print 15,000 pages. This ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 compliant life cycle assessment was conducted by Bio Intelligence Services.
* 23.8 seconds versus 180 seconds