RoHS I*** lists six hazardous substances, including: Lead Pb, Cadmium Cd, Mercury Hg, Hexavalent Chromium Cr6+, Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers PBDE, Polybrominated Biphenyls PBB
RoHS standard 2005/618/EC resolution. What are the limit values of the six hazardous substances? The maximum allowable content of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) is 0.1% (1000 ppm), and cadmium (cd) is 0.01% (100 ppm), and this limit is the legal basis for formulating the product's compliance with the RoHS Directive.The scope of the products covered by the RoHS standard test
The RoHS Directive covers a wide range of products, almost all electronic, electrical, medical, communications, toys, security information products, it not only includes the whole product, but also the production of the whole machine used in the production of parts and components, raw materials and packaging parts, related to the entire production chain.Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE: On April 1, 2008, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) revoked the exemption of Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) from the RoHS Directive, which was originally exempted from the Directive and will be regulated after July 1, 2008. The main reason for the revocation is that the CJEU found that the report provided by the Executive Committee did not examine the possibility of substituting other substances for Deca-BDE.
However, Sweden, which has been actively involved in the EU's risk assessment study, announced on May 8 that it was canceling its original decree restricting Deca-BDE. The Swedish government banned the use of Deca-BDE in textile products, furniture and cables on Jan. 1, 2007, but lifted the ban due to legal challenges in the EU and because a decade-long risk assessment of Deca-BDE did not identify any significant risk reasons for the restriction.
The EU Executive Committee is also evaluating how to avoid a conflict between the RoHS Directive court's revocation of the Deca-BDE exemption and the results of the risk assessment. The Norwegian government announced in January 2008 that it would start restricting the use of Deca-BDE in April, a decision that was met with considerable opposition from the industry as Norway is a member of the European Economic Area (EEA).
EU RoHS and WEEE Directives 2008 Update
On March 19 and 20, 2008, the European Union (EU) published in the Official Journal a number of revisions to its directives on batteries, energy-consuming products, waste from abandoned motor vehicles, waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS). The amendments give the European Commission a number of enforcement powers, and producers exporting electrical and electronic equipment to the EU should pay particular attention to them, as they will be able to see what measures the EU is likely to take in the future.
Directive 2008/34/EC amending Directive 2002/96/EC on waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE Directive) allows the Commission to amend the Annex to the WEEE Directive to include provisions on treatment technologies. The EC may amend the WEEE Directive in light of technological advances to include household lighting equipment, filament bulbs and photovoltaic products (e.g. solar panels) in the list of products covered by the WEEE Directive. Directive 2008/34/EC requires the EC to consult the industry before amending the Annex.
Directive 2008/35/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of toxic substances in electrical and electronic equipment gives the Commission the power to make certain amendments to the Annexes that are necessary to keep pace with scientific and technological developments.
In addition, the EC has just completed an industry consultation on the RoHS Directive regarding the revision of the exemptions for toxic substances contained in the Annex to the Directive. According to Article 5(1)(c) of the RoHS Directive, the Commission must review each of the exempted substances listed in the Annex at least every four years, and may consider removing a restricted substance from the current list of exempted substances if the substance can be dispensed with or an alternative is available. Since the RoHS Directive entered into force on July 1, 2006, the EC will review the Annexes in 2010 or before.