1. 12th March Revision of the EU Ecolabel and GPP criteria for the ‘Personal’ and ‘Notebook’ computer product group Update to the EU Ecolabelling Board JRC-IPTS, Sevilla 1

2. Personal and notebook computers
Product group update
Personal and notebook computers
Investigation of issues arising from AHWG1 (October 2013)
Lifetime extension
Design for recycling
Hazardous substances
AHWG2 will take place 12th May 2014, Brussels

3. Battery specifications
Lifetime extension
Battery specifications
Issue?
Cost and duration of IEC testing routine
Follow-up areas of investigation:
OEM high performance battery + software
cycles, 80% capacity
- Nordic Swan: US battery manufacturer (Boston Power)
Potential for accelerated life testing procedure
Emerging findings?
80% retention over cycles is an industry norm, complemented by ‘intelligent charging’. Potential for alternative, accelerated test procedure

4. Notebook durability testing (1)
Lifetime extension
Notebook durability testing (1)
Issues?
Notebooks have a high failure rate, OEM’s claiming range of tests that extend warranty
Follow-up areas of investigations:
OEM test routines for business, toughbooks, robust models
- Suite of test routines to simulate real conditions/stresses
- Drop, spill, vibration, pressure, temperature
- Keyboard use and keyboard opening/closing
Do benchmarks exist for these tests?
- ‘Industry standard’ test methods e.g. US military

5. Notebook durability testing (2)
Lifetime extension
Notebook durability testing (2)
Can we link tests, warranty and lifespan?
- OEM’s extend warranty as tests are expensive
- Test results evidence of resistance to specific stresses
Emerging findings?
Potential to introduce set of durability tests, selected to reflect most frequent causes of failure or accidents ‘in the field’.

6. Lifetime extension Hard Disc Drives (HDD) Issue?
Issue?
HDD were identified as a key component that can fail
Follow-up areas of investigation:
Enquiry to OEM’s and HDD manufacturers
- Quality metrics used to purchase HDD
HDD can be protected by physical design features
- Shock absorbtion
- Accelerometer
Emerging findings?
Physical design features may be a better area of focus for notebooks, but we await further input from stakeholders

7. Design for recycling Dismantling criteria Issues?
Issues?
Identify metals and critical raw materials
Follow-up areas of investigation:
Review of evidence base as basis for prioritisation
- Status of ecodesign material efficiency requirements
- LCA hot spot sub-components
- Studies identifying where CRM are present in products
- New ITU recommendation on reporting metal/CRM content
Dialogue with specialist reprocessors/dismantlers
Emerging findings?
Identify sub-components e.g. LED units, HDD magnets, tantalum capacitors. Complement by reporting e.g. indium content

8. Establishment of dedicated sub-group (1)
Hazardous substances
Establishment of dedicated sub-group (1)
Combined focus on computers, televisions and displays
Participants?
OEM’s (Dell, HP, LG, Samsung), MS (Denmark, Germany), Specialists (ICL-IP, Bayer), NGO (Oekopol, CPC)
Aim:
Steer the overall approach to be taken and the substitution potential of the best performing products on the market;
Assist in developing a better understanding of the substitution potential for the product group;
Review substitution information and derogation requests;
Advise on how verification could work.

9. Establishment of dedicated sub-group (2)
Hazardous substances
Establishment of dedicated sub-group (2)
First telephone meeting, 26th February 2014
Background material:
Matrix for both product groups analysing substitutions and restrictions
Screening of IEC for Candidate List SVHC and RoHS exemptions
Issues discussed?
1. Scope and comprehensiveness of the screening exercise
2. Hazard profiles for substitutions made by industry
3. Candidate List SVHC’s
4. SVHC derogations and RoHS exemptions
5. Setting the scope of substance restrictions

10. Thank you for your attention
Contact: Nicholas Dodd
Tel