Description

In late ***2 the European Parliament approved two directives related to the reduction of electrical and electronic waste, namely the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) and Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directives. The WEEE Directive aims to regulate the reuse, recycling and recovery of waste electrical  and electronic equipment; the ultimate goal is to prevent the disposal of this waste.

In the RoHS Directive, the use of the aforementioned substances in most electrical and electronic equipment will be banned or severely restricted. The RoHS Directive calls for the elimination of these substances from most electronic equipment starting 1 July ***6.

All applicable products in the EU market afterJuly 1, ***6 must pass RoHS compliance. RoHS impacts the entire electronics industry.

The Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) regulations set limits for the following substances:

• Lead
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Hexavalent Chromium
• Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB)
• Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDE)

To certify to the above compliances, these substances must not be intentionally added to the product AND cannot exceed the following maximum allowable levels as a trace substance:

0.1% (1,**0 ppm) for: Lead*, Mercury, Hexavalent Chromium, PBB and PBDE

0.*1% (**0 ppm) for: Cadmium

Lead as an alloying element in copper alloys is allowed up to 4.0% (*0,**0 ppm); in steel up to 0.*5% (3,**0 ppm) is allowed; in aluminum alloys up to 0.*0% (4,**0 ppm) is allowed.