TCO Certified Edge — an additional step toward sustainable IT products
TCO Certified Edge is a supplemental certification to TCO Certified, intended for best-in-class products meeting leading-edge sustainability criteria. The certification pushes boundaries and recognizes those products that are leading the way.
TCO Certified Edge goes further
TCO Certified Edge focuses on specific sustainability aspects, and products are certified to each of the criteria separately. It is a complementary certification to TCO Certified. All products certified to TCO Certified Edge are also independently verified to meet all criteria in TCO Certified, including comprehensive requirements for environmental and social responsibility.
Independent verification of compliance
Compliance with all criteria in TCO Certified Edge is checked by independent verification organizations that specialize in IT products, social responsibility or other sustainability issues. All test facilities are accredited to ISO 17025. Test and verification methods vary between criteria. For details, please check the criteria document for your product category.
Allowing the IT industry to show sustainability ambitions
Certifying your products to TCO Certified Edge is a way to differentiate your products and show leadership in certain aspects of sustainability. Being a leader in sustainability is something to be proud of and we encourage you to use the TCO Certified and TCO Certified Edge brands in your communication related to certified products. For help and guidance, check our brand book or email manufacturers@tcodevelopment.com.
Current criteria
E-waste compensated
Applicable for: notebooks, tablets, smartphones
For each manufactured product, the brand owner must collect an equal amount of e-waste in a country where it isn’t handled in a responsible way. The discarded product must also be recycled in line with local legislation and relevant EU standards and regulations.
Minimum 85% recycled plastic content
Applicable for: displays
Certified products must contain at least 85% of recycled plastic. The use of recycled plastics reduces the environmental impact with less reliance on virgin materials and up to 80% less energy use in manufacturing.
Halogen free display
Applicable for: displays
No halogens can be used in plastics used in display products. Halogenated flame retardants and plasticizers are often hazardous as well as persistent, and can bio-accumulate in living organisms.
Full function ergonomic display stand
Applicable for: displays
The height of the display must be adjustable and it must be possible to change the angle of the screen backward and sideways. This flexibility allows the user to find an ergonomic posture at work, which also can be varied.
Minimum 50% post-consumer recycled plastic content
Applicable for: all-in-one PCs
Certified products must contain at least 50% post-consumer recycled plastic. It reduces the environmental impact — fewer virgin materials are needed and the energy used in manufacturing can be reduced with up to 80%.
Enhanced acoustic limiting
Applicable for: headsets
Sound spikes can cause discomfort for the user. Products certified to this criterion must have a system in place that removes or reduces sound spikes, below the levels in the TCO Certified criterion Acoustic noise.
TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated
TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated helps you take responsibility for the e-waste you generate and contribute to the solution. For each IT product you purchase, an equivalent amount of e-waste is collected in a country lacking safe recycling systems.
Organizations coordinating e-waste collection connected to TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated must comply with strict social and environmental requirements to protect the environment from hazardous substances and create fair jobs locally.
TCO Certified Edge is a supplemental certification to TCO Certified, intended for best-in-class products meeting leading-edge sustainability criteria. The certification recognizes those products that are leading the way. All products certified to TCO Certified Edge are also independently verified to meet all TCO Certified criteria, including comprehensive environmental and social responsibility requirements.
TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated is available for notebooks, smartphones and tablets.
Reduce e-waste volumes with TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated
TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated gives organizations worldwide a powerful tool to combat e-waste and the opportunity to make a real difference for people affected by today’s unsustainable approach to electronics.
To take responsibility, you only need to do one thing: ask for TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated when you procure new IT products. This way, you contribute to the solution of the e-waste problem, and at the same time, you get products independently verified to meet all other criteria in TCO Certified.
Improves your sustainability reporting
Asking for TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated gives you access to key indicators your organization can use in sustainability reporting.
- Amount of collected and recycled IT products (kilograms and quantity).
- Key indicators in TCO Certified: product energy use, percentage of recycled plastic used and total product weight.*
*Criteria for energy use are not available for all product categories.
How it works
1. Purchase a certified product
By asking for TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated, you provide an additional incentive for the IT industry to get involved in the collection of e-waste.
2. E-waste is collected
For each certified product that is manufactured, the IT brand must ensure that an equivalent amount of e-waste is collected and recycled.
3. People get fair jobs
People are employed to handle the collected products. Work must be carried out in accordance with a code of conduct, including strict criteria on working conditions and working hours.
4. IT products are recycled
The collected e-waste is transported to a recycling plant compliant with strict environmental criteria. Materials are taken care of and prepared for reuse.
Independent verification organizations audit the process of collecting and recycling e-waste.
Approved collectors
The organizations that coordinate e-waste collection must comply with strict social and environmental requirements. They must implement a code of conduct and communicate it to sub-suppliers. The code of conduct covers:
- ILO’s eight core conventions
- United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Local and national labor and health and safety laws
- Maximum 60-hour working week, including overtime
- Standards for responsible recycling
Closing the Loop
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Closing the Loop offers e-waste compensation services since 2016. Its customers include global technology brands as well as large public and private organisations.
Mr Joost de Kluijver
Tel: +31 6 19222233
joost.dekluijver@closingtheloop.eu
closingtheloop.eu
ARGO360
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
ARGO360 is a specialized ITAD full- service provider for data removal and electronics recycling.
Mr Victor Jansma
Tel: +31-(0)85-8000 360
info@argo360.nl
argo360
Do you also want to be an approved collector? Learn more about what it takes in the criteria document, or contact us for more information.