In the 45th Journal in March 2024, there is introduction about the eco-label guide for electronic and electrical products with the detailed information about the US EPEAT and Swedish TCO certifications. In this Journal, we will focus on several international ecological regulations/certifications for electronic and electrical products, and compare the EU Ecodesign regulations with the requirements for batteries in EPEAT and TCO to present the differences. This comparison is mainly for mobile phones, laptops and tablets, and the requirements of other types of electronic and electrical products are not analyzed here. This part will introduce and compare the battery life, battery disassembly, and chemical requirements.

Battery Life

Mobile Phone Battery 

Laptop and Tablet Battery

Testing Methods and Standards

The test standards for battery life tests in the EU Ecodesign Regulation, EPEAT and TCO are all based on IEC 61960-3:2017. The EU Ecodesign Regulation requires additional test methods as follows:

The battery cycle life is measured by following the steps below:

1. Cycle one time at 0.2C discharge rate and measure the capacity
2. Cycle 2-499 times at 0.5C discharge rate
3. Repeat step 1

The test should be continued to ensure that cycle over 500 times.

Testing is conducted using an external power source that does not restrict the power consumption of the battery, with the charging rate regulated by a specified charging algorithm.

Summary: By comparing the requirements for battery life of mobile phones, laptops, and tablets, it is found that TCO 10, as a global sustainability certification for IT products, has the most stringent requirements for battery durability.

Battery Removal/Spare Part Requirements

Note: EPEAT is an evaluative electronic product certification with requirements of mandatory and optional items.

Summary: Both the EU Ecodesign Regulation, TCO10, and EPEAT require that batteries be removable and replaceable. The EU Ecodesign Regulation provides an exemption for mobile phones and tablets from the removable requirement, meaning that under certain exemption conditions, professional maintenance personnel may remove the batteries. In addition, all of these regulations/certifications require manufacturers to provide corresponding spare batteries.

Chemical Substance Requirements

Both TCO 10 and EPEAT stipulate that products must comply with the requirements of the RoHS Directive, and the substances in the products need to meet the requirements of the REACH Regulation. Additionally, batteries must conform to the provisions of the EU’s new Battery Regulation. Although the EU Ecodesign Regulation does not explicitly specify requirements for product chemicals, products entering the EU market must still meet the aforementioned requirements.

MCM Tips

Long battery life, removability, and chemical requirements are crucial components in the development of electronic products towards sustainable utilization. With the global emphasis on sustainable development, the requirements for electronic products will gradually increase. It is believed that these factors will become top priorities for consumers in the future. In order to better meet market demands, relevant enterprises need to make timely adjustments.

It is important to note that the EU Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2023/1670 will come into force in June 2025, and smartphones, tablets and mobile phones other than smartphones entering the EU market will need to meet the corresponding requirements.