By Ben Howe, UL Prospector
RoHS Compliance (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is the nickname given to the European Union’s directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. RoHS is closely related to the European Union’s directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). RoHS references Annex 1A of WEEE to specify its scope of coverage (Categories 1-7 and 10). While closely related, RoHS and WEEE deal with different parts of the product life cycle. RoHS seeks to reduce the amount of hazardous materials entering electronic products while WEEE deals with reducing the amount of electronics entering landfills. RoHS is the beginning, and WEEE is the end. Now is the time to determine the impact of RoHS on one’s business because the directive went into effect on July 1, 2006.
RoHS data can be found in Prospector using the Property Search – learn more.
The RoHS directive currently lists 6 materials as being restricted. Some use the language “banned”, which is incorrect since RoHS specifies maximum concentration values (MCV’s) for each material and provides a list of applications exempt from the restrictions (concentrations are specified in Commission Decision 2005/618/EC). RoHS language provides for future expansion of the restricted list should scientific evidence suggest the necessity. This is referred to in the directive as the precautionary principle.
Toxicological Profiles from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Exemptions to the maximum allowed concentrations of restricted materials do exist for cases where technology does not yet allow for substitutions, or where alternatives may have a worse impact on human health and the environment. Some exemptions include mercury in several kinds of fluorescent lamps, lead in steel and aluminum alloys, lead in some types of solder, and military applications.
RoHS Article 3.(a) states that RoHS covers electrical and electronic equipment “which is dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly and equipment for the generation, transfer and measurement of such currents and fields falling under the categories set out in Annex IA to Directive 2002/96/EC (WEEE) and designed for use with a voltage rating not exceeding 1000 volts for alternating current and 1500 volts for direct current”. With that said, a microwave oven would be covered by RoHS because it cannot perform its intended function with the power switched off. On the other hand, a talking doll can still be used as a doll even when the batteries are removed, so it isn’t covered by RoHS.
RoHS does allow for non-compliant components after the July 1, 2006 deadline, but only as spare parts for equipment on the market before July 1, 2006.
The RoHS compliance directive places the responsibility of compliance on the “producer” of the equipment. Producer is defined as any person who, irrespective of the selling technique used:
- manufactures and sells electrical and electronic equipment under his own brand;
- resells under his own brand equipment produced by other suppliers, a reseller not being regarded as the ‘producer’ if the brand of the producer appears on the equipment, as provided for in subpoint (i); or
- imports or exports electrical and electronic equipment on a professional basis into a Member State.
Who is Affected?
Some outside the European Union may ask what RoHS has to do with them; after all, it’s a European thing, right? Wrong, RoHS principles and reach are global. The directive indicates that anything covered by RoHS entering the European Union must be in compliance, that includes cables made in China, parts molded in the U.S. and PCB’s made in Japan. If it’s destined for the EU, it is impacted by RoHS. And it’s not just the EU that is taking steps to reduce the toxins in electronic devices, California’s Electronics Waste Recycling act of 2003 (SB 20, Chapter 526) echoes the RoHS directive and takes effect January 1, 2007. Japan, China, and Korea are expected to follow with laws of their own.
Important Considerations For Plastic Selection
For OEMs and Processors who are choosing resins, the most important consideration is to ensure that the resin supplier can certify the material as RoHS compliant. RoHS will not affect most materials – if you’re curious to know if the materials you are using are RoHS compliant, tell us what materials you are using and we’ll let you know if they are RoHS compliant.
If you haven’t already started assessing the impact RoHS or similar laws will have on your business, now is the time to start learning.
ANNEX 1A to WEEE
Categories of electrical and electronic equipment covered by this Directive:
- Large Household Appliances
- Small Household Appliances
- IT and Telecommunications Equipment
- Consumer Equipment
- Lighting Equipment
- Electrical and Electronic Tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools)
- Toys, Leisure and Sports Equipment
- Medical Devices (with the exception of all implanted and infected products)
- Monitoring and Control Instruments
- Automatic Dispensers
ANNEX 1B to WEEE
List of products which shall be taken into account for the purpose of this Directive and which fall under the
categories of Annex IA:
1. Large Household Appliances top
-
- Large cooling appliances
- Refrigerators
- Freezers
- Other large appliances used for refrigeration, conservation and storage of food
- Washing machines
- Clothes dryers
- Dish washing machines
- Cooking
- Electric stoves
- Electric hot plates
- Microwaves
- Other large appliances used for cooking and other processing of food
- Electric heating appliances
- Electric radiators
- Other large appliances for heating rooms, beds, seating furniture
- Electric fans
- Air conditioner appliances
- Other fanning, exhaust ventilation and conditioning equipment
2. Small Household Appliances top
-
- Vacuum cleaners
- Carpet sweepers
- Other appliances for cleaning
- Appliances used for sewing, knitting, weaving and other processing for textiles
- Irons and other appliances for ironing, mangling and other care of clothing
- Toasters
- Fryers
- Grinders, coffee machines and equipment for opening or sealing containers or packages
- Electric knives
- Appliances for hair-cutting, hair drying, tooth brushing, shaving, massage and other body care appliances
- Clocks, watches and equipment for the purpose of measuring, indicating or registering time
- Scales
3. IT and Telecommunications Equipment top
-
- Centralised data processing:
- Mainframes
- Minicomputers
- Printer units
- Personal computing:
- Personal computers (CPU, mouse, screen and keyboard included)
- Laptop computers (CPU, mouse, screen and keyboard included)
- Notebook computers
- Notepad computers
- Printers
- Copying equipment
- Electrical and electronic typewriters
- Pocket and desk calculators
- and other products and equipment for the collection, storage, processing, presentation or communication of information
- by electronic means
- User terminals and systems
- Facsimile
- Telex
- Telephones
- Pay telephones
- Cordless telephones
- Cellular telephones
- Answering systems
- and other products or equipment of transmitting sound, images or other information by telecommunications
4. Consumer Equipment top
-
- Radio sets
- Television sets
- Videocameras
- Video recorders
- Hi-fi recorders
- Audio amplifiers
- Musical instruments
- And other products or equipment for the purpose of recording or reproducing sound or images, including signals
- or other technologies for the distribution of sound and image than by telecommunications
5. Lighting Equipment top
-
- Luminaires for fluorescent lamps with the exception of luminaires in households
- Straight fluorescent lamps
- Compact fluorescent lamps
- High intensity discharge lamps, including pressure sodium lamps and metal halide lamps
- Low pressure sodium lamps
- Other lighting or equipment for the purpose of spreading or controlling light with the exception of filament bulbs
6. Electrical & Electronic Tools (with the exception of large-scale stationary industrial tools) top
-
- Drills
- Saws
- Sewing machines
- Equipment for turning, milling, sanding, grinding, sawing, cutting, shearing, drilling, making holes, punching,
- folding, bending or similar processing of wood, metal and other materials
- Tools for riveting, nailing or screwing or removing rivets, nails, screws or similar uses
- Tools for welding, soldering or similar use
- Equipment for spraying, spreading, dispersing or other treatment of liquid or gaseous substances by other means
- Tools for mowing or other gardening activities
7. Toys, Leisure & Sports Equipment top
-
- Electric trains or car racing sets
- Hand-held video game consoles
- Video games
- Computers for biking, diving, running, rowing, etc.
- Sports equipment with electric or electronic components
- Coin slot machines
8. Medical Devices (with the exception of all implanted & infected products) This section not part of RoHS top
-
- Radiotherapy equipment
- Cardiology
- Dialysis
- Pulmonary ventilators
- Nuclear medicine
- Laboratory equipment for in-vitro diagnosis
- Analysers
- Freezers
- Fertilization tests
- Other appliances for detecting, preventing, monitoring, treating, alleviating illness, injury or disability
9. Monitoring & Control Instruments This section not part of RoHS top
-
- Smoke detector
- Heating regulators
- Thermostats
- Measuring, weighing or adjusting appliances for household or as laboratory equipment
- Other monitoring and control instruments used in industrial installations (e.g. in control panels)
10. Automatic Dispensers top
-
- Automatic dispensers for hot drinks
- Automatic dispensers for hot or cold bottles or cans
- Automatic dispensers for solid products
- Automatic dispensers for money
- All appliances which deliver automatically all kind of products
About the Author
Ben Howe is the Content Development Lead for UL Prospector and is responsible for the management of 90,000 unique grades of material datasheets from more than 900 resin suppliers. Ben holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wyoming (2001). Ben has a knack for tracking down hard to find materials information and authored the Property Descriptions and Test Method Standards library.
The views, opinions and technical analyses presented here are those of the author or advertiser, and are not necessarily those of ULProspector.com or UL Solutions. The appearance of this content in the UL Prospector Knowledge Center does not constitute an endorsement by UL Solutions or its affiliates.
All content is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced without prior authorization from UL Solutions or the content author.
The content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. While the editors of this site may verify the accuracy of its content from time to time, we assume no responsibility for errors made by the author, editorial staff or any other contributor.
UL Solutions does not make any representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness or completeness of the content. UL Solutions does not warrant the performance, effectiveness or applicability of sites listed or linked to in any content.