Building Trust in Electronic Equipment Sustainability

Consumer CompactElectrical and ElectronicsOctober 09, 2024

In 2023, the global consumer electronics market was valued at USD 773.40 billion. By 2032, it is estimated this same market will grow to USD 1,467.94 billion.¹ As consumers, we are now dependent on our devices for everything from work to filling leisure time. However, these devices can contain substances that are harmful to the environment. With companies like Samsung Display now addressing these issues, how can we be sure the devices we buy have minimal hazardous substances?

The scale of the problem

In 2019, a team of toxicologists led by the University of Saskatchewan (USask) tested dust samples from seven different buildings in China – canteen, student dormitory, teaching building, hotel, personal residence, laboratory and electrical repair facility. Nearly half of the 53 samples contained harmful substances called liquid crystal monomers, which are used in a wide range of electrical and electronic (EE) products – from flat-screen televisions to solar panels.²

Liquid crystal monomers are just one group of harmful substances found in EE products. Others include heavy metals such as lead and mercury, flame retardants and phthalates. These substances are all detrimental to human health and the environment. Their impact is felt throughout the product lifecycle, from extraction and manufacturing to use and disposal. Affected parties can experience health issues, such as cancer, and water supplies, soil and air can become contaminated.

Consumer response

Sustainability is a major trend in all consumer product markets. According to one study, a quarter of consumers are now willing to pay more for sustainable products. They understand the issues around harmful chemicals and want products that are not only better for us, but also for the environment. This thirst for knowledge extends to all lifecycle stages – from extraction to disposal.

However, the study also found that, apart from cost, responders to the survey listed help with removing plastics and packaging (53%) and the need for more guidance on disposal and recyclability (46%) as major barriers to being sustainable.³ They felt they needed clearer guidance to make sure they chose the right products and know how to operate and dispose of them in a sustainable way.

This is where ecolabeling becomes important. If a consumer understands a product has been rigorously evaluated by a trusted, independent assessor as conforming to predefined standards for sustainability, then they know buying it will help them to meet their sustainability goals.

Samsung OLED displays

When Samsung Display developed new, more sustainable organic light-emitting diode (OLED) displays for its notebooks in 2023, they needed a way to show consumers their products were better for the environment. They partnered with SGS to evaluate the presence and quantity of harmful substances within the displays. Our assessment covered over 300 hazardous substances, including heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs). It found that the levels of these substances were well below the hazardous substances assessed (HSA) threshold, meaning these OLED displays could carry the SGS HSA green mark.

HSA evaluation

Consumers can only trust an environmental claim if they know the product has been rigorously evaluated using trusted standards. They need to be confident in the methodology, and the company delivering that methodology.

HSA certification is one of several environmental claim certification schemes offered by SGS to try to bring trust to the crowded ecolabeling market. EE-GM – a robust internal standard developed by SGS – is used to assess EE equipment not used by children. It covers the requirements for several important regulations, including the European Union’s restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS), Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Annex XVII, POP Recast and Battery Directive. Once a product has been assessed as meeting the defined criteria, it is certified for a period of three years, with annual surveillance assessments. (NB. assessment of textiles, etc. is only valid for one year.)

HSA certification can also be applied to textiles, leather goods and plastic materials used in apparel and accessories.

Benefits of certification

Samsung Display described the HSA certification of their laptop OLEDs as, “a great achievement in the development of our eco-friendly technology."⁴

As part of their move to provide consumers with “better choices,” these products were the first electronic products on the market to be evaluated under this system. It gives them a commercial advantage in markets where sustainability is now a key concern.

The ability to display the SGS HSA mark on marketing materials and products provides credibility to the claims, helping Samsung Display to boost their ESG (environmental, social and governance) competitive edge. In addition, it increases transparency through the inclusion of a QR code on the HSA mark, which gives access to a database where consumers can confirm the validity of the claim.

SGS solutions

HSA is one of several SGS green marks designed to bring knowledge and trust to environmental claims for consumer goods. Other sustainability marks include product carbon footprint, recycled content, PFAS-assessed, biobased, PVC-free, industrial compostable and biodegradability. Each mark contains details of the environmental claim and the standards it was assessed against, as well as the QR code.

SGS green marks are the ideal way for manufacturers and suppliers to respond to concerns over the environmental impact of consumer product supply chains. In the end, trusted means tested.