What is NOT one of the three elements included in TCO?

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) encompasses all aspects of purchasing and using an asset over its entire lifecycle. The three primary elements typically included in TCO are acquisition costs, operating costs, and end-of-life costs.

Acquisition costs refer to the initial costs of purchasing the asset, including price, shipping, and installation. Operating costs encompass the expenses associated with the asset while it is in use, such as maintenance, utilities, and labor costs. End-of-life costs represent expenses related to the disposal or recycling of the asset once it reaches the end of its useful life.

Environmental costs, while important and increasingly relevant in many contexts, do not form one of the foundational elements of TCO as traditionally defined. While these costs can certainly factor into broader sustainability assessments or corporate social responsibility initiatives, they are not universally classified under the core components of TCO. Therefore, the correct choice is the environmental costs, as they are not considered one of the three main elements of TCO.