Under discussion for almost two years, the Italian trade body considers the VA inadequate and is too little action for our regeneration activity
ARTI-Italia (ARTI) clarifies its position on the printing supplies industry Voluntary Agreement (VA) that has been under discussion for almost two years. Concluding that the VA is inadequate and “it is indicative of minimal requirements and too little action for our regeneration activity.”
The ARTI position is that a regulation would give “clear indications for the freedom of choice and the possibility to reuse products, machines and consumables.” Citing the “introduction of microchips, firmware that is constantly updated, and various inhibitions for the fictitious and instrumental reason of a general improvement in printing performance, has effectively prevented us from remanufacturing products.”
ARTI continues: “Proof of the uselessness of fictitious updates is also the fact that some printer models on which it is more difficult or impossible to remanufacture cartridges, there is almost never an update as frequently as on others.
The possibility of reusing printers would allow a longer lifespan for both the products themselves and the spent print consumables.
Non-compliance with eco-design is a violation of the common interest in the circular economy, which is finally being taken as a model for social and environmental as well as economic development.”
ARTI cites the recent “AGCM ruling in Italy is further and final proof of a failure to communicate with the market, perhaps deliberately, which has violated consumers’ freedom of choice by not informing them that it is impossible to use a product, even if it is regenerated.”
