The short lifespans of computers, phones, and other IT products contribute to climate impact, resource depletion, growing e-waste volumes, and pressure on working conditions in the supply chain. Keeping products in use for longer is therefore one of the most effective ways to reduce their overall sustainability impact.

TCO Certified supports product longevity through criteria for circular design, extended warranties, long-term software updates, and responsible end-of-life management. Together, these measures help products remain functional, secure, and useful for longer.

How it works

The circularity criteria in TCO Certified are designed to give IT buyers and users confidence that devices can be used longer while remaining fully functional. They also incentivize IT brands to design and make products of better quality.

*Exceptions apply to products classified as peripherals.

The challenge

Extending the lifespan of IT products is one of the most effective ways to reduce their sustainability impact. Keeping products in use for longer lowers climate emissions and demand for natural resources, Less e-waste is generated, and it can also contribute to better social conditions in the supply chain.

Manufacturing IT products is energy-intensive and still largely dependent on fossil fuels. As a result, a laptop has already generated around 250 kg of greenhouse gas emissions before it is used for the first time. Keeping IT products in use for longer is therefore an important way to reduce climate impact. Longer lifespans mean fewer new products need to be manufactured over time, reducing average annual emissions.

Short product lifespans contribute directly to growing e-waste volumes, adding to what is now the world’s fastest-growing waste stream. More than 60 million metric tonnes of e-waste are generated each year, yet less than a quarter is formally collected and safely recycled. Much of the rest is incinerated or sent to landfill, leading to pollution, health risks, and the loss of valuable finite resources. Some e-waste is also exported to regions where it may be handled through unsafe, informal processes such as open burning or acid leaching. This can release hazardous substances, contaminate soil, air, and water, and create serious risks to human health.

Extending the lifespan of IT products helps preserve natural resources. Today’s largely linear production and consumption patterns rely heavily on virgin materials, placing pressure on fragile ecosystems and depleting finite reserves. In 2022, e-waste was estimated to contain recoverable materials worth around USD 62 billion (approximately €60 billion), much of which was lost. Keeping products in use for longer reduces the need for new extraction, helping to protect biodiversity and limit environmental degradation.

Short product lifespans cause big fluctuations in demand, requiring production to be ramped up, often at short notice. These frequent production spikes are covered by employees agreeing to excessive overtime, largely because the wages they receive fail to cover their living costs. By extending product lifetimes, the pressure for high-volume, low-cost production is reduced, supporting more stable working conditions and enabling a transition toward more ethical and sustainable labor practices in the IT industry.

Our approach

Keeping IT products in use for longer depends on more than durable hardware. Products also need to be repairable, supported with software updates, and covered by warranties that make longer use a realistic option. By using TCO Certified in procurement, you ensure that all these aspects are covered.

Circular design means making products that last and can be upgraded and repaired. Durability testing and access to replaceable components help prevent common points of failure from shortening a product’s useful life. Secure data removal is also essential, so products can be passed on without the risk of data leakage.

Extended warranties are a key enabler of longer product lifespans. When products fail under warranty, repair or replacement costs fall on the IT brand, creating a strong incentive to design and manufacture more durable, high-quality devices. It also gives purchasers and users the confidence to plan for longer use cycles without the risk of unexpected costs.

Security and functionality updates are essential to extending the useful life of IT products and enabling organizations to use devices with confidence. Regular security updates strengthen cyber resilience and protect sensitive data, while functionality updates resolve bugs and enhance performance. Together, they ensure products remain secure, reliable, and fit for purpose throughout their intended lifespan.

Compliance with all criteria in TCO Certified is verified by independent, accredited experts. Before a certificate is issued, products are tested, and IT brands must provide documented evidence that information about warranties and long-term software support is publicly available. This information is reviewed to ensure full compliance. Throughout the certificate’s validity period, we conduct follow-up checks to confirm continued compliance.

A clearly defined and extended product life provides purchasing organizations with something they often lack: predictability. When products are supported for a set time — including warranties and updates — it becomes possible to evaluate options based on expected longevity, not just technical specifications or price. This enables more strategic, sustainable procurement planning and supports longer replacement cycles.

With assurance that products remain safe, functional, and supported throughout their intended use, organizations can extend device lifetimes with greater confidence — without compromising performance, data security, or user experience. Fewer replacements over time lead to lower costs, reduced administrative burden, and a substantial reduction of sustainability impacts.

Because TCO Certified criteria are global and applied consistently across markets, organizations can use a more consistent approach to IT management, regardless of where products are purchased or used.

IT manufacturing is energy-intensive and has a significant climate impact. By keeping your notebook computer longer, and buying fewer devices, you can substantially lower annual emissions. Use our calculator to see the difference.

For more specific calculations, check our Report Generator.

Scope 1: For the buyer and user of IT products, no emissions are scope 1.
Scope 2: Emissions from the energy required to charge and run the IT product.
Scope 3: Emissions from manufacturing, transportation and waste management.

Background

To make IT more circular, you need to understand why products are replaced too soon and where value is lost along the way. Recycling has an important role, but it should not be the first option for a product that can still be used. That insight has shaped the development of the circularity criteria in TCO Certified. In this article, criteria developer Stefan Carlberg explains more.

“One problem is that once a product enters the waste stream, much of this value can quickly be lost. The system for transporting products from collection points to recyclers is designed to handle waste, not functioning devices. Even a perfectly usable product can be damaged or mixed with other discarded electronics along the way, leaving little opportunity for reuse by the time it reaches the recycler. Sometimes the challenge is not whether a product still has value, but whether the systems around it are designed to recognize and preserve that value before it is lost.

“This has been an important principle in developing our circularity criteria. There is no single requirement that makes a product circular. Instead, you have to identify the weak links that can cause a product to leave use too early and address them one by one. Durability and repairability are essential, but a repairable product is of little use if spare parts are unavailable. And a fully functional device may be difficult to pass on if the previous user cannot remove their data securely. Over time, we have added criteria that strengthen these different parts of the chain.

“We also heard from IT brands about the commercial pressures they face. The market rewards low prices and high volumes, which can encourage the use of lower-cost components and give manufacturers little incentive to make products last well beyond the standard warranty period. That is one reason why we introduced requirements for extended warranties. When a product fails while it is still under warranty, the brand carries the cost of repair or replacement. A longer warranty therefore creates a direct financial incentive to improve product quality and durability.

“But better product design is still only part of the solution. We have seen that purchasing organizations often replace devices according to fixed cycles, even when the products could remain in use. Extending those cycles may be seen as a risk. What happens if devices start failing? Will security updates still be available? Will unexpected repair costs increase? These concerns can make organizations reluctant to change established practices.

“This showed us that circularity also depends on creating confidence in longer use. Purchasers need products that are durable and repairable, but they also need predictable warranty coverage and continued software support. By addressing both physical and digital obsolescence, we can remove more of the barriers that cause functioning products to be replaced.

“The lesson is that circularity needs a broad approach. Product design, repairability, spare parts, warranties, software support, secure data removal, reuse, and responsible recycling all have a role to play. The more of these weak links we strengthen, the easier it becomes to keep products and their value in use for longer — and reduce the need to manufacture new products and extract new resources.”

The result

Keeping IT products in use for longer brings substantial, measurable sustainability benefits. Here, we show the difference when a notebook computer is used for five years instead of three.

Since most of a notebook’s lifecycle emissions come from the energy-intensive, fossil-dependent manufacturing process, extending its use significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Prolonging the lifespan from three to five years cuts annual emissions from 88.9 kg to 55.4 kg — saving 33.5 kg, or almost 40%, each year. Even one extra year makes a difference: increasing use from three to four years reduces the annual footprint by 20 kg, or 23.5%. (Source: Report Generator)

When notebook computers are used for longer periods, fewer devices are needed over time, directly reducing the amount of e-waste generated. Over a 40-year period, replacing a notebook every five years instead of every three means using eight devices instead of 14 — a reduction of 42%. This significantly lowers the volume of discarded electronics, easing the burden on waste management systems and reducing the risk of improper handling and harmful impacts on people and communities.

Producing fewer products reduces the demand for natural resources. This effect is further strengthened by the TCO Certified criterion on responsible e-waste management, which requires IT brand owners to implement take-back systems and certified recycling practices. These measures ensure that e-waste is collected and handled responsibly — reducing the risk that discarded products are exported to vulnerable communities.

Designing notebook computers for a lifespan of five years or more, and using them accordingly, can help enable social benefits across the supply chain. Longer product lifecycles contribute to more stable production volumes, reducing the need for sudden demand peaks that often lead to excessive overtime and increased pressure on workers. Higher product value can also support fairer wages and stronger social protections, helping drive more ethical and sustainable labor practices in the IT industry.