Kyoto Club Withdraws Cartridge Ecolabel
July 8, 2026
Ecolabel body Kyotoclub / Multieticchetta Elabel! ends certification of cartridges and withdraws the label granted to SEA
This month, the Italian ecolabel organisation Kyoto Club decided to no longer certify remanufactured toner and inkjet cartridges for printers, copiers, multifunctional printing devices under the Multieticchetta Elablel! program. Also, licenses on remanufactured toner and inkjet cartridges currently active under the program have been revoked following an assessment by the competent certification body. This concerns the remanufactured toner cartridge product line, produced by S.E.A. s.r.l. Full details can be found here:
ETIRA welcomes this decision. To have credibility, ecolables, in particular Type-1 ecolables, must have full and proper auditing criteria in place, and these must be strictly enforced. Without it, free riders who falsely claim compliance with the ecolabel criteria win government procurement contracts, while honest firms lose out, and customers are tricked into thinking they buy eco-friendly products, when in reality they receive single-use, cheap, polluting knock-offs. Already a long time ago, ETIRA asked Kyoto Club to reassess the Elablel! certification of SEA products. Following the revocation of the SEA label, ETIRA now asks that all contracts granted using the SEA certification be revisited.
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Ecolabel
New Ecodesign Proposals Unveiled
February 29, 2024
The European Union’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) has introduced ambitious ecodesign proposals to enhance the sustainability of printers and cartridges significantly. This initiative represents a pivotal shift towards mandatory regulatory measures, departing from the voluntary agreements that have characterised the sector since 2015. The JRC’s Preparatory Study outlines a comprehensive strategy focused on extending product lifespans, improving material efficiency, and fostering a circular economy.
Key proposals include increasing the durability and reparability of printers, setting mandatory page yield requirements for cartridges, and promoting the use of remanufactured cartridges. Additionally, the JRC advocates for optimising energy savings, paper consumption, and the incorporation of post-consumer recycled plastic in printer manufacturing.
ETIRA President Javier Martinez welcomed the proposals, highlighting their alignment with the EU’s Green Deal objectives and their potential to reduce the environmental footprint of printing significantly. As the EU prepares to translate these findings into draft regulation, ETIRA commits to collaborating with stakeholders to ensure these positive advancements are realised.
You can download the JRC Report here.