The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has published the first technical specification for a unified universal charger for notebook computers, which the international standards organization says will “significantly reduce” e-waste.
The IEC Technical Specification 62700: DC Power supply for notebook computer, a unified DC charger standard for notebook computers, is expected to be officially released in early 2014.
Billions of external chargers are produced and sold worldwide each year. Laptop chargers typically weigh around 300 grams, sometimes even reaching 600 grams. Because these chargers vary by brand or model, incompatible chargers often become obsolete when consumers buy new computers. Alternatively, given the short shelf life of modern electronic products, once a product is discontinued, the inability to purchase a compatible charger renders a still-usable computer unusable.
According to IEC estimates, electronic waste generated annually from chargers for various electronic information and communication products exceeds 500,000 tons.
This new IEC technical specification covers many key aspects of external chargers for laptops, including connectors and plugs, safety, compatibility, performance, and environmental factors. This specification will allow consumers to use a single, universal external charger on laptops from different brands and models, and reduce unnecessary electronic waste.
The IEC points out that this will also make it easier to reuse or replace external chargers when necessary.
Last week, the United Nations' "Solving the E-Waste Problem" (StEP) warned that global e-waste will increase by 33% over the next four years. At that time, e-waste will rise from nearly 48.9 million tons in 2012 to 65.4 million tons, almost equivalent to 5.45 million buses weighing approximately 12 tons each, or about 200 times the weight of the Empire State Building.
Sources: Environmental Leader (2013-12-20) (Compiled by PIDC)
