ETIRA’s 2025 Vision: Tackling Non-Compliance and Championing Sustainability
January 13, 2025
As Europe’s office imaging market enters 2025, ETIRA calls for more vigorous enforcement and a unified push towards sustainable, compliant remanufacturing.
The European office imaging market faces a pivotal year in 2025, marked as a tipping point where rising economic pressures and tightening regulations reshape the industry. The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) is intensifying its efforts to tackle long-standing challenges and seize emerging opportunities for its members.
“2025 will test our industry’s resilience,” said Javier Martinez, ETIRA president. “But it’s also a chance to double down on compliance, sustainability, and fair competition.”
The Compliance Battle Intensifies
A top priority for ETIRA is addressing the ongoing influx of non-compliant imports. Despite years of advocacy, cartridges failing to meet EU standards—lacking CE markings, WEEE registration, or REACH compliance—continue to dominate market share, often entering through online platforms.
ETIRA highlights a growing EU-wide effort to hold online marketplaces accountable. An Online Sales Compliance team at the European Parliament is actively working to make platforms fully responsible for the products sold. ETIRA is engaging with this team to drive progress and align strategies.
“The unchecked flow of non-compliant imports undermines everything we’re working towards,” said Martinez. “2025 must be the year we see stronger enforcement and penalties across all EU member states.”
ETIRA urges greater collaboration among national authorities, industry stakeholders, and EU institutions like ECHA (REACH) and Market Surveillance Authorities (MSAs) to eliminate regulatory loopholes and penalize offenders.
Sustainability as a Growth Driver
With the EU’s circular economy agenda gaining momentum, 2025 represents a significant opportunity for compliant remanufacturers. ETIRA is championing remanufactured cartridges as cost-effective, environmentally responsible alternatives perfectly aligned with EU sustainability goals.
“The demand for sustainable solutions is growing, and remanufactured cartridges are ideally positioned to meet that demand,” said Martinez.
ETIRA strongly advocates for the inclusion of product criteria similar to those envisioned for Digital Product Passports (DPPs). These criteria would provide essential information about a product’s compliance, sustainability credentials, and remanufacturing history, empowering buyers to make informed choices.
Economic Challenges in 2025
The backdrop for ETIRA’s efforts is a challenging economic environment. Corporate bankruptcies surged in 2024, and the new year brings heightened inflation, rising energy costs, and interest rates.
These pressures are influencing office imaging sector trends. Businesses are increasingly opting for remanufactured cartridges as value-driven alternatives while delaying investments in new printers, relying instead on existing equipment.
“This environment reinforces the need for high-quality, compliant remanufactured consumables,” said Martinez. “But it also underscores the importance of fair competition—non-compliant products hurt both the environment and the economy.”
Looking Forward: ETIRA’s 2025 Agenda
ETIRA’s roadmap for 2025 includes:
- Advocacy for Fair Competition: Collaborating with EU institutions to strengthen enforcement against non-compliant imports and create a level playing field.
- Promoting Sustainability: Raising awareness about the benefits of remanufactured cartridges in achieving EU circular economy targets.
- Digital Product Passport-Type Information: Championing DPP-like product information to enhance market transparency and reward compliant businesses.
- Supporting Members: Providing resources and advocacy to help remanufacturers navigate economic and regulatory challenges.
A Vision for the Future
As Europe’s office imaging market adapts to the complexities of 2025, ETIRA remains committed to protecting and promoting its members’ interests. The association aims to secure a stronger, more competitive future by prioritising compliance, sustainability, and collaboration.
“2025 is a year of action,” said Martinez. “If we work together, we can overcome challenges and ensure a thriving, sustainable remanufacturing industry.”
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2025circular economy
Compliance
ETIRA: New Non-OEM Cartridges – A Threat to Compliance, Sustainability, and Public Health
November 28, 2024
Recent compliance checks reveal widespread violations of EU regulations, endangering the environment and the health of citizens.
BRUSSELS/BREDA – 28 November 2024—The European Toner and Inkjet Remanufacturers Association (ETIRA) has issued an urgent warning to European buyers: new non-OEM cartridges are high-risk and often blatantly illegal. ETIRA investigations revealed that 75% of these products fail to meet EU standards, with only 8% fully compliant. In contrast, remanufactured OEM cartridges performed significantly better, with 85% meeting most or all regulations.
Key Findings from ETIRA’s Compliance Checks
From July to November 2024, ETIRA reviewed approx. 50 new non-OEM toner and remanufactured OEM cartridges across Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Romania, Spain, and Italy. Products were sourced from major suppliers, including Plate Bürobedarf, Kaut-Bullinger, Ribbex, Backhausen, HQ-Patronen GmbH, TonerPartner GmbH, “Stefan Brogno tintendienst.de,” Tonerdumping., Hispamicro, Muchocartucho, Inkcloud, Inforpor (Xerox), Linsed, Life 365 Italy, Alphaink, Ecostore, Buffetti, TS Bohemia, Mall/Allegro, and Compatible cz.
Key results:
New Non-OEM Cartridges:
- 75% failed basic documentary compliance checks regarding permanent CE and Wheelie bin marks, entry in the national WEEE registry, and, where required, packaging registry and Declaration of Conformity.
- Packaging frequently lacked accurate supplier information, or only listed suppliers outside the EU.
- Often carried the CE logo without meeting the EU standards it stands for
- Instances of false labelling as being a remanufactured OEM product
One of the most troubling findings was the non-compliance of products purchased from Ribbex, a prominent supplier in Germany. Cartridges in boxes labelled as “Rebuilt” and “Made in Germany” were, in fact, new non-OEM cartridges imported from SE Asia by a Portuguese entity.
Remanufactured OEM Cartridges:
85% were relatively compliant, with only one supplier missing from the national WEEE registry.
Hazardous Practices Continue
These findings echo ETIRA’s product tests performed in the past, which showed new non-OEM toner cartridges often failed hazardous chemical checks, including decaBDE and toner emissions. These products endanger public health, the environment, and legitimate businesses.
ETIRA Demands Stronger Enforcement
ETIRA is taking decisive action by reporting violations to national market surveillance authorities and exposing buyers of non-compliant products.
“The EU’s circular economy demands stronger enforcement against hazardous chemicals and illegal goods,” said Javier Martinez, ETIRA President. “Over 30% of the market is illegal, threatening fair competition, environmental care, and consumer health—urgent action is essential.”
What Buyers Should Know
ETIRA reminds buyers and suppliers that non-OEM cartridges must comply with REACH, WEEE, and other EU directives. Importers are responsible for ensuring compliance, and failure to do so risks legal penalties.
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ComplianceBeware of Illegal Printer Cartridges:
May 28, 2024
Beware of Illegal Printer Cartridges: A Call to Action from ETIRA- ETIRA model protest letter
At the recent The Recycler Live conference, Javier Martinez brought to light a pressing issue facing our industry: the prevalence in the EU market of non-OEM newbuilt printer cartridges that fail to comply with EU regulations. Javier Martínez presented eye-opening research and a stark warning to consumers and industry professionals alike.
The Scope of the Problem
ETIRA’s research reveals that one-third of printer cartridges sold in Europe are non-compliant with EU standards. These newbuilt cartridges, often manufactured in China, lack proper labelling and safety information, making them both illegal and potentially hazardous. The environmental impact is staggering, with these non-compliant cartridges contributing to 420,000 tons of e-waste annually in Europe alone. Moreover, they are responsible for causing early damage to 20% of printers, exacerbating the e-waste problem.
Legal and Environmental Hazards
These newbuilt non-OEM cartridges do not meet critical EU regulations such as CE marking, WEEE, RoHS, and REACH. They often omit essential labels like the waste bin icon, misleading consumers about the appropriate disposal methods and increasing environmental risks. By avoiding these compliance measures, manufacturers reduce costs but at the expense of consumer safety and environmental health.
The Importance of Consumer Education
Educating consumers is crucial in distinguishing between legal and illegal cartridges. ETIRA recommends remanufactured OEM cartridges, particularly those made in Europe, as the best legal and environmentally friendly option. These cartridges comply with all EU regulations and offer significant environmental benefits. By shifting to remanufactured cartridges, we can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 45-60% and lower consumer costs by as much as 60%.
Taking Action
ETIRA calls for increased vigilance and regulatory enforcement to combat the sale of these illegal cartridges. Consumers and businesses should demand proper documentation and report any non-compliant products to authorities. ETIRA has a model letter, available upon request, that members may send to public bodies, to insist that public tenders comply with all EU legal requirements. By ensuring that the cartridges we purchase and use are legal, we can protect our environment and promote sustainable practices within our industry.
Conclusion
The findings underscore the urgent need for regulatory compliance and industry and consumer awareness. The proliferation of illegal, non-compliant newbuild printer cartridges poses significant environmental and public health risks. We can drive positive change in the industry by choosing remanufactured OEM cartridges and supporting compliant practices. ETIRA remains committed to advocating for a safer, more sustainable future in the toner and inkjet remanufacturing sector.
Together, we can make a difference. Let’s act now to ensure the cartridges we use are safe, legal, and environmentally friendly. For more information and to stay updated on our initiatives, visit our website at etira.org.