The Int’l ITC and UKCRA have joined forces in the fight against firmware updates which lock out the aftermarket and filed a complaint with EPEAT against HP Inc.
The International Imaging Technology Council (Int’l ITC) announced it filed a complaint against HP Inc. with the Green Electronics Council over HP’s new “killer chip” firmware. The Int’l ITC is challenging their claims to meet criterion 4.9.2.1 for their printer products currently listed as “active” on the EPEAT Registry. The Int’l ITC was joined in this action by the United Kingdom Cartridge Remanufacturing Association (UKCRA).
EPEAT stands for Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, and its registry lists products that meet its criterion, which currently includes the HP printers affected by the firmware.
The EPEAT criteria was developed by a group of stakeholders over a two-year period, including government officials, the OEMs, including HP Inc., and members of the aftermarket including the Int’l ITC and UKCRA. This team developed the IEEE 1680.2 Standard for Environmental Assessment of Imaging Equipment, as well as the following subsections, which direct that all EPEAT imaging equipment will:
“4.9.2.1 Allow use of non-manufacturer cartridges and non-manufacturer containers
“4.9.4.1 (Provide) Documentation that the cartridge or container is not designed to prevent its reuse and recycling.”
In the complaint, the Int’l ITC asserted that HP’s aggressive firmware, which locks out aftermarket cartridges, violate these provisions.
“HP, Inc.’s outrageous new firmware shuts off printers when it detects a non-HP cartridge, which frustrates consumers and their cartridge suppliers alike,” said Tricia Judge, Executive Director of the Int’l ITC. “This is clearly contrary to the EPEAT criteria. They shouldn’t get to claim to adhere to a higher environmental standard.”
For more information on EPEAT, see www.epeat.net.
