Green Electronics Council
Registry Services Department

Verification Round Plan

P42Issue 1 Rev 0

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-2016-04
1680.1 PCs and Displays
August 2016
I.

PURPOSE AND CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT

This document outlines the plan for the PC-2016-04 Verification Round of Investigations to be
performed in accordance with P15 Verification Procedure, this Verification Plan, and EPEAT schemerules.

II.

SELECTION OF CRITERIA AND PRODUCTS FOR VERIFICATION

Verification Round PC-2016-04 will investigate the following criteria:••••

4.5.1.1 - ENERGY STAR4.5.1.2 - Early adoption of new ENERGY STAR specification
4.3.2.2 - Marking of plastics
4.8.2.1 - Separable packing materials

This Verification Round targets these four criteria for various reasons. First, the U.S. EPA ENERGY STAR
program recently published a new version (Version 7.0) for monitors and signage displays. The newversion became effective on July 1, 2016. All manufacturers of monitors and signage displays will beinvestigated during this Verification Round for at least one product. Additionally, all Manufacturers
claiming 4.5.1.2 for Version 7.0 will be investigated for one product.
All manufacturers claiming 4.3.2.2 will be investigated for one product due to high levels of nonconformances. Additionally, one manufacturer will be investigated for 4.8.2.1 for a specific product due
to a previous inconclusive investigation from the PC-2016-02 Verification Round.
Investigations for 4.5.1.1 will be investigated via Level 0 investigation. In a Level 0 investigation, anAuditor assesses Conformance to a criterion by examining publicly available information only – noproducts 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 befound from public sources, or did not provide enough details to determine conformance), the Auditor
may be instructed to proceed with a Level 1 investigation.
All other criteria 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 is required to provide detailed
and accurate information in a timely manner.
The products and criteria will be selected via the process below:

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Selection Process:A list of all products will be pulled fromthe EPEAT Registry.
Select from the list all manufacturers
claiming 4.5.1.1 and 4.5.1.2 and narrow
the list to monitors and/or signage
displays. Randomly select one product permanufacturer for 4.5.1.1 alone and one
from each manufacturer also claiming
4.5.1.2.

From the full list of manufacturers andproducts, narrow the list down to those
products claiming 4.3.2.2. Randomly
select one product from eachmanufacturer.

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

One product will be selected for a specificmanufacturer claiming 4.8.2.1.

Step 4III.

Notes:All active products on the Registry will
be included.
All manufacturers making monitors andsignage displays will be investigated.
Only those monitors and signage
displays claiming 4.5.1.2 will beinvestigated.

All manufacturers claiming 4.3.2.2 will
be subject to at least one investigation.
If a product was already selected forinvestigation for either 4.5.1.1 or 4.5.1.2,
the same product will be investigated for
4.3.2.2.
Only one specific manufacturer will be
subject to this investigation.

•

All geographies and Manufacturers with active products on the EPEAT Registry are eligible forinclusion.

•No Manufacturer will have more than 3 investigations in this Verification Round.

•Exception is as follows: If a product is randomly selected and that product has been investigatedagainst that criterion in the last six months, a new product will be randomly selected for thecriterion.

VERIFICATION PROCESSSThe Verification Round will proceed in accordance with current procedures, as outlined below.
Level 0 Investigations - Targeted and Random Criteria:
The Level 0 portion of the Verification Round will proceed in accordance with current procedures,
as outlined below.
1.

The EPEAT Scheme will take a “snapshot” of the Registry, from which products will beselected for investigation.

2.

The EPEAT Scheme will instruct Conformity Assurance Bodies (if applicable – see SectionV) to proceed with the investigations.

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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, andprepare an Investigation Report for each investigation, recommending conformance orinconclusive based on publicly available data.

5.

Conformity Assurance Bodies will review all Investigation Reports to ensure they areclear and complete and the evidence supports the recommendation, and will forward
the Report and 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 specificproducts 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 1investigation. 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 accuracyof the declaration in the EPEAT Registry.

Level 1 Investigations - Targeted Criteria and Manufacturers:
1.

The EPEAT Scheme will use the “snapshot” of the Registry taken for the Level 0investigations.

2.

The EPEAT Scheme will instruct Conformity Assurance Bodies (if applicable – see SectionV) to proceed with the investigations.

3.

Conformity Assurance Bodies will assign investigations to (an) Auditor(s), and will notify
the subject Manufacturers that their products are being investigated.

4.

The EPEAT Scheme will publish the Verification Round Plan on epeat.net.

5.

The Auditors will perform the investigations as assigned within 60 calendar days, andprepare an Investigation Report for each investigation, recommending conformance ornonconformance.

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IV.

6.

Conformity Assurance Bodies will review all Investigation Reports to ensure they areclear and complete and the evidence supports the recommendation, and will forward
the Report and 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.

7.

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 specificproducts and Manufacturers for which they are making conformity decisions.

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 accuracyof the declaration in the EPEAT Registry.

9.

The EPEAT Scheme will publish a "Verification Round Outcomes Report" identifying thenonconforming products and Manufacturers, as well as the action taken to restore
accuracy of the declarations in the Registry.

CONFORMITY DECISION PANEL

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

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

PRODUCT REGISTRATION ENTITIES AND QUALIFIED VERIFIERS

All 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.

GECULEIntertek

VERIFICATION ROUND PLAN APPROVAL

A member of the Conformity Decision Panel approved this Verification Round Plan by discussion and/or
email on August 25, 2016.

VII.

SUMMARY OF PC-2016-04 PLANNED INVESTIGATIONSVerification Round Plan PC-2016-04
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Criterion

Verification Selection and Process

4.5.1.1
4.5.1.2
4.3.2.2
4.8.2.1••••# Planned
Investigations
1813451

ENERGY STAREarly adoption of new ENERGY STAR specification
Marking of plastics
Separable packing materials
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