Nov 20 2009 11:32AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |
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A draft proposal for the recast of the European Union's ROHS (restriction of hazardous substances) directive has been published by the European Parliament (EP).

Among the proposed changes is to include all electrical products. The approach would be to add an 11th product category to the existing 10. The scope of the new category would simply be “other electrical and electronic equipment not covered by any of the categories 1-10.” In addition, the current exclusion of large-scale stationary industrial tools (LSIT) has been deleted and so all EEE (electrical and electronic equipment) including manufacturing production line equipment would be in scope.

Equipment covered by the new Category 11 would come into scope in July 2014.

The controversial “equipment that is part of another type of equipment that does not fall in scope and can only ful...Read More

Oct 16 2009 7:51AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (1) |
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Back in March 2007, Phase 1 of the so called “China ROHS” directive was implemented on time. This declaration period required labeling and information on up to 1,800 electronic information products. Pollution (recycling) symbols were required to indicate the level of toxic substances in a product. Where below permitted levels, a green symbol would typically be used, and an orange symbol where restricted substances were present above the permitted levels, which are broadly outlined within the EU ROHS directive that had entered into force in July 2006. Other unique information would also be required including an environmentally friendly use period advising how many years a product could be safely used before hazardous substances were likely to leak into the environment, a disclosure table outlining which toxic substances were present in a product and, to aid recycling, w...Read More

Sep 22 2009 4:11PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (0) |
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The majority of the people who read this blog are components distributors or other members of the electronics supply chain, so I won't go into a whole repetitive blathering here about how huge the opportunity is for the electronics supply chain when it comes to LEDs or why it’s a long-term opportunity for the overall electronics industry with tremendous growth potential. Why tell you what you already know. (And if you don't know, read this Q&A with Avnet's LED guru Cary Eskow.)

Those at the top of this field understand that LEDs are an evolving technology segment that offers as many design and distribution challenges as it does prospects. They know that the LED itself is only part of high-efficiency semiconductor lighting, that significant power, thermal, and packaging challenges are hurdles to creating eff...Read More

Sep 17 2009 8:50AM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (17) |
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Following discussions between EU Member States and the Council of Ministers, new proposals have been put forward by Sweden, which currently owns the EU presidency, to amend the scope of the ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) directive.

Under the proposals the scope will change to encompass all electrical and electronic equipment unless specifically excluded. Currently there are eight product categories with binding examples of what products fall within scope. A recast, published in December 2008, also proposed the phased in addition of categories 8 and 9 (medical devices and monitoring and control instruments).

Under the new proposals all electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) will fall within scope, unless specifically excluded. Annex I (the 10 broad product categories) and Annex II (b...Read More

Sep 2 2009 12:54PM | Permalink | Email this | Comments (4) |
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The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published proposals to identify chemicals as "Substances of Very High Concern" (SVHC) and is welcoming your comments on these 15 substances by October 15.

Anyone can comment on the 15 substances --including lead chromate and diisobutyl phthalate -- proposed by EU/EEA Member States and by the European Commission. The comments will be taken into account when deciding whether the substances will be added to the so-called "Candidate List" from which substances are selected for required authorization of use.

The ECHA has advised that comments should particularly focus on the hazardous properties that qualify the chemicals as SVHCs. Parties can also provide comments and further information on the uses, exposures, and availability of safer alternative substances or techniques, although these aspects will mainly...Read More