Green Electronics Council
Registry Services Department

Verification Round Plan

P42Issue 1 Rev 1

Green Electronics Council
227 SW Pine Street, Suite 300 • Portland, OR 97204 • V: (503) 279-9382 • F: (503) 279-9381 • www.epeat.net

PLAN FOR VERIFICATION ROUND PC-2018-03
PCs and Displays/1680.1
April 2018
I.

PURPOSE AND CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT

This document outlines the plan for a Verification Round of Investigations to be performed inaccordance with P15 Verification Procedure, this Verification Plan, and EPEAT scheme rules.

II.

SELECTION OF CRITERIA AND PRODUCTS FOR VERIFICATIONPC-2018-03 will include 66 Level 0 and 1 investigations on 9 criteria. The selected criteria are either
those that lend themselves well to Level 0 investigations or those for which demonstration ofconformance is difficult. All geographies and manufacturers with products active on the EPEAT Registry
are eligible for inclusion in this Round. Criteria which will be investigated during this Round include:
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4.1.3.1- Required- Reporting on amount of mercury used in light sources
4.1.3.3- Optional- Elimination of intentionally added mercury used in light sources
4.3.1.1- Required- Identification of materials with special handling needs
4.4.1.1- Required- Availability of additional 3 year warranty or service agreement
4.5.2.1- Optional- Renewable energy accessory available
4.6.1.1- Required- Provision of product take back service
4.7.1.1- Required- Demonstration of corporate environmental policy consistent with ISO 14001
4.7.3.1- Required- Corporate report consistent with Performance Track or GRI
4.7.3.2- Optional- Corporate report based on GRI

Note: Criterion 4.5.2.2, Renewable energy accessory standard, was planned to be investigated during
this round; however it was dropped from the round as no manufacturers are claiming it.
Criteria 4.4.1.1, 4.5.2.1, 4.6.1.1 and 4.7.3.2 will be investigated via Level 0 investigation. In a Level 0
investigation, an Auditor assesses Conformance to a criterion by examining publicly available
information only – no products are obtained for inspection or testing, and the Manufacturer is not asked
to submit documentation. If the publicly available information is inconclusive (i.e. was not available,
could not be found from public sources, or did not provide enough details to determine conformance),
the Auditor may be instructed to proceed with a Level 1 investigation.
Criteria 4.1.3.1, 4.1.3.3, 4.3.1.1, 4.7.1.1, and 4.7.3.1 will be investigated via Level 1 investigation after
the Level 0 portion of the Verification Round has closed. In a Level 1 investigation, an Auditor assesses
Conformance to a criterion by examining information submitted by a Manufacturer. The Manufacturer isrequired to provide detailed and accurate information in a timely manner.

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Products will be selected according to the process outlined below:

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4III.

Selection Process:Notes:A snapshot will be taken of the EPEAT
registry by CA staff

Snapshot will include all active products
from all manufacturers andgeographies
Snapshot will be sorted to include only
criteria included in this round
Products and criteria will be randomly
chosen from this shortened list until all
investigations are assigned

No manufacturer will be subject tomore than 7 investigations during thisround.

A check will be performed on theassigned products to ensure that they
have not been investigated recently

A specific criterion on a specific productmay not be verified more than once
every six months.

VERIFICATION PROCESSSThe Verification Round will proceed in accordance with current procedures, as outlined below.
Level 0 Investigations:
The Level 0 portion of the Verification Round will proceed in accordance with current procedures, asoutlined below.
1. The EPEAT Scheme will take a “snapshot” of the Registry, from which products will be selectedfor investigation.
2. The EPEAT Scheme will instruct Conformity Assurance Bodies (if applicable – see Section V) toproceed with the investigations.
3. Conformity Assurance Bodies will assign investigations to (an) Auditor(s). The Auditor(s) will
NOT notify the subject Manufacturers that their products are being investigated at this time.
4. The Auditors will perform the investigations as assigned within the allotted time, and prepare an
Investigation Report for each investigation, recommending conformance or inconclusive basedon publicly available data.
5. Conformity Assurance Bodies will review all Investigation Reports to ensure they are clear andcomplete and the evidence supports the recommendation, and will forward the Report andVerification Round Plan PC-2018-03
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supporting evidence to the EPEAT Scheme. At the same time, Conformity Assurance Body will
forward the draft Reports (without the final Conformity Decision Panel decision) to the subject
Manufacturers.
6. The Conformity Decision Panel will review the reports and make a decision regarding
conformity. The identity of the products and Manufacturers will not be disclosed to theConformity Decision Panel. The Conformity Decision Panel will be blind to the specific products
and Manufacturers for which they are making conformity decisions.
7. In the case of a finding of inconclusive, the EPEAT Scheme will launch a Level 1 investigation.
The Verification Process for Level 1 investigations can be seen below.
8. Conformity Assurance Bodies will inform the subject Manufacturers of the Conformity Decision
Panel’s conformity decision. For decisions of Non-Conformance, Manufacturers will be required
to take corrective action within 14 calendar days to restore the accuracy of the declaration inthe EPEAT Registry.
Level 1 Investigations:9. The EPEAT Scheme will use the “snapshot” of the Registry taken for the Level 0 investigations.
10. The EPEAT Scheme will instruct Conformity Assurance Bodies (if applicable – see Section V) toproceed with the investigations.
11. Conformity Assurance Bodies will assign investigations to (an) Auditor(s), and will notify thesubject Manufacturers that their products are being investigated.
12. The EPEAT Scheme will publish the Verification Round Plan on epeat.net.
13. The Auditors will perform the investigations as assigned within 60 calendar days, and prepare anInvestigation Report for each investigation, recommending conformance or nonconformance.
14. Conformity Assurance Bodies will review all Investigation Reports to ensure they are clear andcomplete and the evidence supports the recommendation, and will forward the Report andsupporting evidence to the EPEAT Scheme. At the same time, Conformity Assurance Body will
forward the draft Reports (without the final Conformity Decision Panel decision) to the subject
Manufacturers.
15. The Conformity Decision Panel will review the reports and make a decision regardingconformity. The identity of the products and Manufacturers will not be disclosed to theConformity Decision Panel. The Conformity Decision Panel will be blind to the specific productsand Manufacturers for which they are making conformity decisions.
16. Conformity Assurance Bodies will inform the subject Manufacturers of the Conformity Decision
Panel’s conformity decision. For decisions of Non-Conformance, Manufacturers will be required
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to take corrective action within 14 calendar days to restore the accuracy of the declaration inthe EPEAT Registry.
17. The EPEAT Scheme will publish a "Verification Round Outcomes Report" identifying thenonconforming products and Manufacturers, as well as the action taken to restore accuracy ofthe declarations in the Registry.

IV.

CONFORMITY DECISION PANEL

The following individuals are the members of the Conformity Decision Panel:
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V.

Libby Chaplin, CEO, Arcadian Solutions
Jack Geibig, President, Ecoform
Robert Pfahl, Pfahl Consulting L.L.C.
Annette Roesler, Ph.D., Independent Professional Chemist

CONFORMITY ASSURANCE BODIES AND AUDITORSAll investigations will be conducted through Conformity Assurance Bodies approved by the GreenElectronics Council. The following Conformity Assurance Bodies may be involved in Investigations forthis Verification Round:VI.

•Green Electronics Council CAB•UL Environment•

TUV Rheinland

VERIFICATION ROUND PLAN APPROVALThis Verification Round Plan was approved on 3/22/17.

VII.

SUMMARY OF PC-2018-02 PLANNED INVESTIGATIONS# Planned
Investigations
471273

Criterion

Criterion Title

4.1.3.1
4.1.3.3
4.3.1.1
4.4.1.1
4.5.2.1•••••

Reporting on amount of mercury used in light sources
Elimination of intentionally added mercury used in light sources
Identification of materials with special handling needs
Availability of additional 3 year warranty or service agreement
Renewable energy accessory available

4.6.1.1•

Provision of product take back service

7

4.7.1.1•

10

4.7.3.1•

Demonstration of corporate environmental policy consistent with ISO
14001
Corporate report consistent with Performance Track or GRI

4.7.3.2•

Corporate report based on GRI

511Total

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