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How to judge “zero to landfill” claims

Many IT recyclers say nothing goes to landfill. Here’s what the law and the CMA’s Green Claims Code expect of environmental claims, and the questions to ask before you rely on one.

Checked 7 October 2026 · Sources

A landfill compactor with spiked steel wheels driving over a mound of rubbish
A compactor at work on a landfill site · Photo: Ropable, Public domain

Why we show these as “they say”

On Green ITAD, claims such as “zero to landfill” or “100% recycled” are always shown as the company’s own claim, in a box marked “They say”. We don’t verify them, and we never present them as fact.

The rules on green claims

Since April 2025 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has enforced consumer protection law under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. It can now decide for itself that the law has been broken, order changes and redress, and fine businesses directly. Its Green Claims Code still applies in substance. The Code says environmental claims must:

  1. be truthful and accurate
  2. be clear and unambiguous
  3. not omit or hide important information
  4. make only fair and meaningful comparisons
  5. consider the full life cycle
  6. be substantiated.

Broad or absolute claims are the most likely to mislead. A business should hold robust, credible, relevant and up-to-date evidence — ideally checked independently — and any conditions should sit next to the claim, not in small print.

Claims made to other businesses fall under narrower rules (the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations 2008), but the CMA urges businesses to apply the same standards. Most ITAD marketing is aimed at businesses; services sold to individuals are covered by consumer law.

Questions to ask

These are our own questions, based on the Code’s principles.

  • Scope. Does the claim cover everything the company receives, or only what it handles itself? What happens further down the chain? Does it include residues such as plastics with brominated flame retardants, which often have to be incinerated as POPs waste?
  • Meaning. Does “zero to landfill” mean recycled — or does it include incineration with energy recovery? The Code expects that to be made clear.
  • Evidence. Ask for the waste transfer notes and consignment notes that show where each stream went, and the permit numbers of the downstream sites. If the company is an AATF, ask for the recovery and recycling rates it reports to the regulator — for IT and telecoms equipment the targets are 80% recovery and 70% recycling. Ask whether anyone has checked the claim independently.
  • Up to date. When was the claim last checked?

What certifications do and don’t tell you

ISO 14001 shows that a company has a system for managing its environmental impacts and legal compliance. A new edition, ISO 14001:2026, was published in April 2026. Neither edition proves that a particular landfill or recycling figure is true.

Read the CMA’s Green Claims Code, and see our checklist for choosing an ITAD provider.

Sources

  1. CMA: Making green claims — getting it right, across the supply chain (22 Jan 2026)
  2. CMA: Green Claims Code — environmental claims on goods and services
  3. GOV.UK: WEEE evidence and national protocols guidance (recovery and recycling targets)
  4. ISO: ISO 14001 environmental management systems

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — check with the regulator or an adviser for your situation.