Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive

The European Union’s RoHS Directive restricts six substances in electrical and electronic equipment; what you need to know.

The Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive, which restricts the use of lead, cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium and both polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in electrical and electronics equipment manufactured, sold, or imported into the European Union (EU), is undergoing a revision. The EU Commission’s proposed revisions, released in December 2008, attempt to simplify and clarify the Directive without repealing it altogether.

There is a compromise EU Council position that was drafted by the Swedish Presidency that is similar to the Commission’s proposal that would take some small steps towards improving the scientific basis of the RoHS Directive.  In the Parliament, RoHS Rapporteur and Green Party member Jill Evans announced plans to drop amendments calling for a ban of all brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including those, such as tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), that have been found safe under European Union risk assessment. 

However, IPC remains concerned with activities in the Parliament. Particularly, Amendment 3a in the Final package of compromise/consolidated amendments on the RoHS Directive. Under the section, “Consolidated package III on methodology for future restrictions,” Amendment 3a proposes a process that lacks a rigorous scientific methodology and could therefore lead to additional substance restrictions that provide neither environmental nor human health benefits. IPC also opposes “Consolidated package IV on Annex III,” which calls for a priority assessment of the flame retardant TBBPA. While some BFRs, such as polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), have been identified as toxic, restricted under the RoHS Directive and voluntarily withdrawn from the market, other BFRs, such as TBBPA, have been found to be safe for human health and the environment by both the World Health Organization and the European Commission Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER).

IPC continues to lobby to ensure the RoHS revisions process reflects the needs of the electronics industry and is based on sound science.

• IPC White Paper on Recasting the RoHS Directive: An Opportunity to Solidify its Scientific Basis in Support of Comprehensive Environmental Regulation (.pdf)
• EU Parliament Final Package of Compromise/Consolidated Amendments on the RoHS Directive (.pdf)
• European Council Position on Proposed Changes to the RoHS Directive (September 2009) (.pdf)
• MEP Jill Evans’ Report and Proposed Amendments to a Revised RoHS Directive (December 2009)
• IPC’s One-Page Position on Proposed RoHS Revisions (November 2009) (.pdf)
• EU Commission’s Proposed Changes to the RoHS Directive (December 2008) (.pdf)
  • IPC Submits Comments to the EU Commission on their Proposed Revisions to the RoHS Directive (January 2008) (.pdf)
  • IPC Press Release: EU Commission Releases Proposed Changes to RoHS Directive IPC Remains Cautious Until Directive is Finalized (December 2008)
• IPC Fact Sheet on the EU Commission’s Proposed RoHS Revisions: What are the issues? (January 2009) (.pdf)

Background

• Contention Over Tetrabromobisphenol(a) Continues IPC Urges Members in Germany and Sweden to Voice Concerns (July 2009)
• 6 New Exemptions Under RoHS for Lead, Cadmium and Mercury (June 2009) (.pdf)
• IPC Submits Comments to the Okö-Institut Regarding their List of Potential Hazardous Substances in EEE (March 2008) (.pdf)
• IPC White Paper on Öko Institut’s Recommendations to EU Commission for Proposed RoHS Revisions (September 2008) (.pdf)
• IPC President Expresses Concerns to the EU Commission (October 2008) (.pdf)
• What Can You Do?

Additional Resources

• Possible Compliance Approaches to the RoHS Directive 2004 (.pdf) — Prepared by ERA Technology for the U.K. Department of Trade and Industry
• IPC Helps Industry Work Through Materials Declaration Implementation (.pdf) — IPC Review, December 2005 (Members Only)
• RoHS Compliance Proposal (.pdf) — European Industry Association