One million certification labels help customers make the environmental choice
February 3, 2023
A special environmental certification from the European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) has reached a significant milestone, with one million of the accreditation marks now in circulation.
The certified mark, which showcases remanufactured products with a superior environmental performance, was launched in late 2021.
The mark’s purpose is to help customers distinguish between printing cartridges which are better for the environment than others, differentiating remanufactured Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) cartridges from new OEM and non-OEM newbuilds.
Since its launch, the label has helped raise the profile of remanufactured products produced by ETIRA members and eliminated confusion about which cartridges offer a very good environmental performance and those with poor green credentials.
Industry leaders that are using the ETIRA certification include GM Technology, KMP, Armor and Innotec.
Javier Martinez, president of ETIRA, said: “We are thrilled to reach this incredible milestone of having one million ETIRA certification labels in the market.
“In Europe, 70 per cent of cartridges are thrown away after first use. Remanufacturing cartridges for re-use can reduce their carbon footprint by up to 45-60 per cent. As our industry takes steps to reduce its environmental impact, every cartridge that is remanufactured is one fewer going directly to landfill.
“Having the certification label in the marketplace informs and empowers consumers to make the more environmentally-friendly choice when buying printing cartridges. It is better for them and better for the planet.”
ETIRA remanufacturers that fulfil a qualification process and license agreement can apply the certification mark to their own brand of cartridges, as well as any brand of cartridges they have produced for a third party that complies with the license requirements.
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ETIRA Certification MarkETIRA launches new videos promoting accreditation
January 28, 2023
ETIRA launched its Certification Mark in 2021 has now launched two videos to expand the promotion of the mark and it’s benefits to members of ETIRA and raise awareness of the wider issues around the need to remanufacture toner and ink cartridges to reduce the amount of harmful plastic waste being produced.
Like most of us who use an office printer, you only see the cartridge twice. Once when you install it and then when you replace it.
When you search online for a replacement there are over 25 million possible options – and there are all sorts of terminology used like New, OEM, non-OEM, reused, remanufactured, compatible. Then there are the environmental credentials. Sustainable, eco, recycled and so on. It can be very confusing for the consumer or those putting proposals out for tender.
At ETIRA, the European trade association for remanufacturers, we have simplified how you can choose a replacement or can specify in your bids as part of your procurement process.
Just look for the ETIRA Certification Mark which is a hologram label on the product!
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ETIRA Certification MarkETIRA certification for global leader of remanufactured photocopiers and printers
January 17, 2023
GM Technology, a global leader of premium refurbished photocopiers, printers and consumables, will promote its remanufactured products with special certification from the European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA).
Based in Dos Hermanas in Seville, Spain, GM Technology offers a range of sustainable products focused on maximising reuse. These include the unique R-OEM and R-GEN remanufactured toners and the Green Line range of machines.
The company, a member of ETIRA since 2020, will display ETIRA’s label certification which differentiates between remanufactured OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) cartridges from new OEM and non-OEM newbuilds. The label certification raises the profile of remanufactured products produced by ETIRA members, like GM Technology, which offer a superior environmental performance.
Zoltan Matyas, director of international business at GM Technology, said: “Our business model and operations have always been designed around reuse, remanufacturing and most importantly the core value of respecting the environment.
“We believe that nowadays it is essential that all businesses operate this way: committed to the planet and reducing the impact of human activity on the environment.
“Thanks to the presence of the ETIRA label on our toner cartridges and reference to it on our packaging, our customers have the certainty that they are buying a sustainable product, which has been remanufactured with respect for the planet.
“For a company operating in the toner remanufacturing industry, it is extremely important to differentiate our products and effectively communicate our values. The ETIRA label helps us to do exactly that.
“We would like actively cooperate with fellow industry members to support the cause of making remanufactured printing equipment and consumables the first choice for all office printing needs.
“We believe that the current global economic model, which is lineal and based on extracting raw materials, producing, and then disposing of them, must be reversed as soon as possible, or there will be no future on our planet for the next generations.”
Javier Martinez, president of ETIRA, said: “In Europe, 70 per cent of cartridges are thrown away after use but remanufacturing cartridges can reduce their carbon footprint by up to 60 per cent. We are committed to reducing the number of cartridges that go directly to landfill and are so pleased to have GM Technology with us on this sustainable journey.”
For further information about GM Technology, visit www.gmtechnology.net
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ETIRA Certification MarkGM Technology
Reuse
IT supplier cements eco-friendly ethos with ETIRA Label
October 11, 2022
A leading manufacturer of IT supplies has become the latest company to sign up for ETIRA’s Certification Label.
KMP, headquartered in Germany, is a multinational family-owned company that has developed, manufactured and distributed IT supplies including ink and toner cartridges for more than 30 years.
A market leader, KMP has various locations in Europe and is Europe’s largest family business in the industry. The company is a founding member of ETIRA and known for supplying products of the highest quality.
Jan-Michael Sieg, CEO at KMP, said: “Being a member of ETIRA brings us a lot of benefits and aligns with what we stand for – reuse before recycle.
“The ETIRA label certification provides an additional assurance an empty cartridge has been remanufactured to a very high standard and placed back on the market. Reusing a cartridge can reduce the CO2 emissions by up to 60% and ETIRA labelled cartridges are safe to use, good for the environment and competitively priced compared to buying the printer manufacturers’ own brand cartridge.
“The ETIRA label is a standard which the cheap jacks of our industry cannot fulfill. It clearly marks the difference between a true eco-friendly, sustainable, high-quality product and green-washed products.
“The Circular Economy Model from the European Environmental Agency will hopefully help to reduce the amount of single-use plastic from China. In close discussions with the leading OEMs, we are setting targets for remanufactured toner and inkjet cartridges. These OEMs support the remanufacturing of toner cartridges for being able to achieve the high re-use targets set by the EU.”
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ETIRA Certification MarkKMP AG
Remanufactured printing technologies leader ARMOR Print Solutions signs up for ETIRA certification
July 13, 2022
ARMOR Print Solutions will use special certification from the European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) that showcases remanufactured products with a superior environmental performance.
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Armor Print SolutionsETIRA Certification Mark
KMP products now carry the ETIRA-Certified label
October 19, 2021
The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) launched the new certification label in September to help customers distinguish between printing cartridges which are better for the environment than others.
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ETIRA Certification MarkKMP
New certification initiative introduced by ETIRA
September 15, 2021
The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) has launched a new certification label to help customers distinguish between printing cartridges which are better for the environment than others.