Restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances
RoHs
The purpose of this Directive is to restrict the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment and to contribute to the protection of human health and the environmentally sound recovery and disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment.
Key elements
From 1st july 2006 new electrical and electronic equipment put on the market must not contain lead, mercury, cadmium,
haxavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls(PBB), or polyprobinated diphenyl ethers(PBDE).
Some applications are exempt and others allow contents below stringent limits.
Examples are mercury in certain types of fluorescent lamps, lead in the glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes, lead in high melting temperature solders, or solders used for telecommunications, lead in electronic ceramic parts and hexavalent chromium as an anti-corrosion of the carbon steel cooling system in absorption refrigerators. The exemptions will be reviewed at least every four years.
The list of hazardous substances and materials may be added to on the basis of scientific fact and the precautionary principle.
There are also exemptions for specific equipment categories such as Medical Devices, and Monitoring and Control Instruments including industrial control panels. These exemptions are being reviewed with the aim to extend the legislation to these categories by 13 February 2005.
