Acer, Dell, HP, Sony Ericsson call for expansion of ROHS

An alliance of electronics makers and environmental groups is calling for restrictions on all BFRs, as well as PVC through the ROHS environmental compliance directive.

Suzanne Deffree -- EDN, May 20, 2010

Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and Sony Ericsson have joined with public interest organizations ChemSec, Clean Production Action, and the European Environmental Bureau to call for an expansion of the EU (European Union) ROHS (restrictions on hazardous substances) directive to ban the use of what they believe  to be hazardous substances in consumer electronics from 2015 onward. 

Considered the most influential environmental compliance directive to impact the electronics supply chain and electronics design to date, ROHS was adopted by the EU in 2003 and put into force in 2006, restricting the amount of so-described hazardous substances being used in electronic sold and distributed within EU member states. Best known for its restriction on the use of lead in electronics design, ROHS originally targeted five additional substances: mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB (polybrominated biphenyls), and PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ether).

However, the alliance of electronics makers and environmental groups is calling for restrictions on all BFRs (brominated flame retardants), not just PBB and PBDE, as well as PVC (polyvinyl chloride). The group noted that when BFRs and PVC are incinerated under substandard recycling conditions they form halogenated dioxins that are potent toxic chemicals.

Many consumer electronics makers have voluntarily moved to remove BFRs and PVCs from their products. Indeed, over the past 18 months Sony Ericsson has been developing products without BFRs and believes that substitute materials are available and could be rolled out across the industry with little disruption. To date, the company has phased out all PVC in its products and nearly all halogenated flame retardants. 

This group effort is not the first aiming to make adjustments to ROHS, which is continuously under review by European lawmakers, nor is it alone in questioning flame retardants or PVC. Most recently, the European Parliament published a draft proposal for the recast of ROHS with the intent to include all electronic and electrical equipment. ROHS' current scope exempts certain electronics. The proposed changes also include restricting use of substantially more substances, including PVC, chlorinated plasticizers, organohalogens, flame retardants, and the phthalates BBP, DBP, and DEHP.  

"Sony Ericsson is committed to a complete phase-out of halogenated organic substances from its products, and at the current time has phased out almost all brominated flame retardants," said Daniel Paska, environmental expert at Sony Ericsson, in a statement. "We believe the electronics industry has a responsibility to move proactively to find substitutes to replace BFR and PVC and are therefore calling on EU legislators to show leadership on this issue by voting to tighten the ROHS directive."