Tough New Laws for Aftermarket Cartridges Heading to Russia

Tough New Laws for Aftermarket Cartridges Heading to Russia

New-built cartridges from China are going to have to improve if their manufacturers want to recapture market share in Russia. As at today (March 1, 2020) it is illegal to import IT equipment, printing devices and consumables—including cartridges, inks and toners—that violate RoHS environmental requirements. RoHS is a product level compliance based on the European Union’s Directive 2002/95/EC, the Restriction of the Use of certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (RoHS).

“At the moment, most new-build cartridges fail the RoHS standards,” says Business-Inform‘s Dr Stanislav Malinskiy (pictured). “Simply put, those cartridges that violate RoHS requirements are NOT ALLOWED in Russia.”

As of today, tens of thousands of new-build cartridges will be rejected.

Malinskiy explains the situation in the Russian market has changed for printing devices and supplies. All suppliers and distributors must conform to higher standards of environmental friendliness as determined by Russian expert organizations.

Only the examination results performed by organizations accredited to conduct such an examination in Russia and the EAEU countries will be recognized by Russian authorities.

Malinksiy says a further round of laws will come into effect in the next 12 months. As of June 2021, any cartridges that don’t meet the REACH requirements for toxicity will also be rejected. “The situation, in this case, is very bad,” Malinskiy claims. “All new-build cartridges, purchased in the Russian market currently, have a high share of decaBDE, and therefore, none of them meets the REACH requirements. None of them!” As of June 2021, they will not be permitted in Russia.

Malinskiy sent a warning out in 2019, and repeated it to the crowd at the RT RemaxWorld Summit in October in Zhuhai. “I warned everyone that these laws are already a reality. But no one believed me. And now, those who did not believe me, are asking for help.

Almost all OEMs now solve this problem. However, the poor results from aftermarket new-build cartridges are giving a whole new life to remanufactured products that do meet the new Russian standards. “For the first time in 10 years, manufacturers of remanufactured cartridges have a great chance to significantly increase their market share in Russia,” Malinskiy asserts.

The new Russian environmental laws require manufacturers to prove compliance of products with the requirements of REACH and RoHS.

Malinskiy is already seeing a lot of interest from cartridge remanufacturers to attend his Business Inform Expo in June. “Representatives from European and American companies are visiting Moscow every week, now. I think we will see many of them at the exhibition this year too. I am sure many Chinese will also attend to see where their market disappeared to.”