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non-final version. Committee members may request permission to reproduce, quote from, and/or circulate this document to persons or
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TG Submission Template
NSF 426 TG 12 Responsible End-of-Service/End-of-Life Management
TG 12 status summary: To date, the work of TG 12 has focused on the 2 prerequisite requirements,
which are being put forth as TG recommendations. TG 12 has placeholders for consideration of optional
criteria. These criteria will be considered further, drafted and discussed following the Joint Committee
meeting.
The 2 recommended prerequisites focus on:
1) Manufacturers offering a take back service that processes equipment according to a
management hierarchy
2) Manufacturers ensuring environmentally responsible disposal through the use of certified
recyclers
Points
(for optional
criteria only)
Criterion Number and Title
Status*
Reference
Document(s) (if
applicable)
Prerequisite Criteria
12.1.1 Management of Original Postowner/lessee Equipment (Corporate)
N/A
TC
Recommendation
12.1.2 Responsible End-of-Service / Endof-Life Processing (Corporate)
N/A
TC
Recommendation
None
None
Optional Criteria
12.2.1 Take-back service for consumer
products (Corporate)
Still Under
Development
None
12.2.2 Responsible Processing of Exempt
Programs (Corporate)
Still Under
Development
None
12.2.3 Final Disposition of Substances of
Concern
Still Under
Development
None
12.2.4 Publically available record of the
reusability/recyclability achievement
Still Under
Development
None
*For status, identify one of the following categories:

TG Recommendation

Options for JC Consideration

Still Under Development
© 2014 NSF International and Green Electronics Council
This document is part of the NSF International standard development process. This document is subject to change and may be a draft and/or
non-final version. Committee members may request permission to reproduce, quote from, and/or circulate this document to persons or
entities outside of their organization after first receiving written permission from NSF International and Green Electronics Council. Send
written requests to NSF International that include notice of to whom and for what purpose this document is to be shared.
12
Responsible End-of-Service/ End of Life Management
12.1 Prerequisites
12.1.1 Product Take-back Service (Corporate) (TG Recommendation)
Manufacturer shall provide, either directly or through a third party, a country or region wide take-back
service for to collect and process registered and formerly registered products covered under the scope
of this standard for the purpose of re-use, refurbishment, and/or end-of-life management recycling of
the recovered products. Reuse, refurbishment, and/or recycling for materials recovery shall be a
priority, before processing for energy recovery or disposal. Manufacturer shall offer this take-back
service option either directly or through its distributors to the first customer; the customer may choose
to utilize this service option or not.
Purchasers shall be notified through written or online documentation of the take-back service, including
how to utilize the service.
Documentation of compliance with legal requirements for collection and recycling meets this criterion if
laws/regulations apply to all purchasers of the registered product (e.g., businesses, government,
consumers, etc.).
The service shall incorporate a management hierarchy to promote the extended and best possible use of
the equipment and components, in a manner that is protective of human health and the environment,
as follows:
1.
re-use of whole equipment;
2.
re-use of components;
3.
recycling for material recovery;
4.
Disposal of materials in energy recovery facilities and/or solid and hazardous landfill
facilities permitted in accordance with applicable legislation.
Notification of the take-back service, including how to utilize the service(s), shall be available in sales
information and product documentation, including website-based sales information and user manuals in
formats provided to customers (e.g., website, compact disc, hard copy) at the time of purchase/lease.
The information shall be maintained and updated on the manufacturer’s website.
Manufacturer shall disclose both at the point of sale and the point of the take-back service if there will
be any direct costs to the purchaser / lessee for the take-back service.
To demonstrate compliance with this criterion, the manufacturer shall obtain and maintain objective
evidence:
 Of the manufacturers’ conformity with this criterion throughout the sales chain to the first
customer
 That the manufacturer offers the take-back service defined in this criterion for:
 Customers in the country or region where the product is registered; and
 All types of selling technique (e.g. distance-selling or through distribution network)
 That the manufacturer notifies the purchaser/lessee of the availability of take-back services,
that includes how to utilize the take-back service
© 2014 NSF International and Green Electronics Council
This document is part of the NSF International standard development process. This document is subject to change and may be a draft and/or
non-final version. Committee members may request permission to reproduce, quote from, and/or circulate this document to persons or
entities outside of their organization after first receiving written permission from NSF International and Green Electronics Council. Send
written requests to NSF International that include notice of to whom and for what purpose this document is to be shared.

Of the manufacturers’ compliance with national legislation/legal requirements and to confirm
that compliant and environmentally sound management has been employed (to the criterion in
12.1.2) for the collection, transportation and processing (re-use, refurbishment or recycling, as
applicable) and disposal of all products registered and returned under this criterion.
In jurisdictions where there are existing laws and / or regulations specifically to collect, re-use and / or
recycle registered and formerly registered products, manufacturer’s demonstration of compliance with
these legal requirements will fulfill this requirement.
This requirement criterion is applicable only in countries or regions for which the product is declared to
conform to this standard.
12.1.2 Responsible End of Life Processing (Corporate) (TG Recommendation)
All equipment collected in accordance with prerequisite 12.1.1 shall be processed by a recycler certified
to one of the following standards, current at the time of verification, or equivalent: In jurisdictions
where manufacturer has control over the selection of take-back service providers, manufacturer shall
ensure that all products and components covered by criterion 12.1.1 are managed and/or processed
initially at take-back service providers that are certified by independent certification bodies to one or
more of the following standards: The Responsible Recycling (“R2”) Standard for Electronics Recyclers, eStewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment, or WEEELABEX or EN
50625. Equivalent standards are those identified as Qualified Recycling Standards by the Product
Registry. Certifications shall be current at the time of product registration and maintained while the
manufacturer has products declared to this standard. Certification bodies shall be independently
accredited by an IAF [1] member accreditation body to certify to the specific standard identified.
Manufacturer shall ensure that certifications are held by re-use or recycling facilities at the time of
product registration or certification and that they are maintained whilst products are registered to this
standard. The certified re-use or recycling facilities shall comply with all transboundary legal
requirements of all countries concerned (export, transit, and import), from the point of manufacturer
take back to final disposition including competent authority notification and consent, as applicable for
the movement of products and components covered in 12.1.1, and materials comprised of and/or
derived from them.
To demonstrate compliance with this criterion, the Manufacturer shall obtain and maintain
documentation of contracted processing facilities certification(s).
Processing as used in this criterion by re-use operators or recyclers shall be defined as:
 the preparation of equipment and components for re-use including testing, repair, refurbishment
and re-manufacturing for the purposes of placing the fully-functional equipment and
components back on the market in its ordinary use, or in its upgraded state or,
[1]
International Accreditation Forum (IAF) - http://www.iaf.nu/
http://www.iaf.nu//articles/IAF_MEMBERS_SIGNATORIES/4
© 2014 NSF International and Green Electronics Council
and see “member signatories”
This document is part of the NSF International standard development process. This document is subject to change and may be a draft and/or
non-final version. Committee members may request permission to reproduce, quote from, and/or circulate this document to persons or
entities outside of their organization after first receiving written permission from NSF International and Green Electronics Council. Send
written requests to NSF International that include notice of to whom and for what purpose this document is to be shared.
 manual or mechanical separation, including dismantling, shredding, or thermal or hydrometallurgical separation for the purposes of material recovery.
The function specified in the manufacturer’s user manual, repair manual or technical manual should be
used to determine ordinary use and to assist with the processing operations determined above. The
manufacturer shall ensure that if the manual is not available with the equipment, then online manuals
shall be made available to any stakeholder free of charge.
This requirement criterion is applicable only in countries or regions for which the product is declared to
conform to this standard.
12.2 End of Life Management (Optional) (This Section - Still Under
Development)
12.2.2 Responsible Processing of Exempt Programs (Corporate)
[JC to develop if exemptions are included in 12.1.2]
12.2.3 Final Disposition of Substances of Concern
12.2.4 Publically available record of the reusability/recyclability achievement
© 2014 NSF International and Green Electronics Council