The first of two new and very important directives that will affect us all is known as the RoHS directive, meaning the Restriction of Hazardous Substances. It was introduced on the 1st of July 2006 and became European law on the same day. RoHS is very explicit about which substances may and may not be used in product manufacturing and the precise levels that any allowed substance may be tolerated in any electrical or electronic products. The main substance targeted is lead. Lead is found in almost all electrical and electronic products, either as a constituent of solder or in scrap metals which are used in many different forms of product manufacturing in our industry.

One of the easiest ways to understand this would be with the manufacture of connectors. These have previously been manufactured, in most cases, using junk or scrap metals which all contain lead. Now this practice has been banned, connectors will have to be produced using ‘pure’ metals which do not contain lead. Obviously, this will push up prices considerably as the RoHS compliant connector products are introduced into the market – and it’s the same with many, many other products that we sell and use everyday. Even the packaging has to be RoHS compliant i.e, made from products such as cardboard and re-cycled papers that can easily breakdown or be safely re-cycled. Even the printing ink on the packaging labels must not contain any lead. Plastic bags for packaging are also banned. Some non-RoHS compliant products still exist in the marketplace although they must be phased / sold out as quickly as possible. This might, for a short period, increase prices as manufacturers introduce RoHS compliant products. Remember that after July 1st, 2006 it became illegal to produce non-RoHS compliant products.

The second of these new directives is known as the WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) directive which sets minimum levels for recycling that must be met but may be exceeded. This directive concerns the collection, treatment, recycling and disposal of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and is due to become European law in July of 2007. Waste Electrical or Electronic goods would almost certainly contain any or all of mercury, cadmium, lead, chromium VI, PBB and PBDE which, although relatively safe during a products working life would be likely to pose risks to health or the environment when the products ‘life’ is ended.

The WEEE Directive referred to here is then a separate, but related piece of environmental legislation. WEEE is primarily tasked with reducing the amount of electrical and electronic equipment (often referred to as EEE) from entering landfill at the end of its useful life by encouraging reuse, recycling and separate collection. The European Environmental Commission does recognise that the WEEE Directive cannot eradicate all EEE from entering landfill but by putting the responsibility for safe disposal of EEE products firmly at the door of the original product manufacturer, it hopes to drastically improve the current situation where manufacturers take little or no responsibility whatsoever. Once again, this will force prices to rise as manufacturers ‘build-in’ financial margins to allow for the extra costs of later safe and approved disposal – even though this may be some years ahead for many products. Provision for disposal costs must be made at the current time. To delay would be highly dangerous.

To conclude this brief synopsis and to hopefully make it easier to remember, the role of RoHS is to reduce harmful substances at (manufacturing) source i.e., the birth of the product, ensuring that hazardous substances are not leached into the environment by equipment, which currently and inevitably fails to be recycled.

The role of WEEE comes into force at the end of the products useful ‘life’ – so at the product’s death it’s original manufacturers take full responsibility for the safe disposal of all EEE products, otherwise incurring very stringent and serious penalties.

Further information can be obtained from the EU Commission websites.

SCC Convergency Info Sheet – August 2006