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Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

Restriction of the use of certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment is a Directive (2002/95/EC) established by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union (EU) to reduce the amount of heavy metals and flame retardants contained within electrical and electronic equipment.
The purpose of the RoHS Directive is to:

• Restrict the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment by substitution of those hazardous substances with safe or safer materials; and
• Protect human health and the environment by incorporating the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EC) objectives in preventing excessive generation of electrical and electronic equipment waste.

The RoHS Directive includes the same scope of equipment identified by the WEEE Directive except for medical devices and monitoring and control instruments. It also includes electric light bulbs and household luminaries.

The RoHS Directive applies to Producers (which are considered to be manufacturers, sellers, resellers and importers or exporters into an EU member state). By July 1, 2006, Producers of electrical and electronic equipment will have to demonstrate compliance with the RoHS Directive by ensuring that new electrical and electronic equipment on the market does not contain any of the following restricted hazardous substances:

• Lead
• Mercury
• Cadmium
• Hexavalent Chromium
• Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
• Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)

The following applications of lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium are exemptions to the RoHS Directive:

• Mercury in certain types of lamps
• Lead in glass cathode ray tubes, electronic components, and fluorescent tubes
• Lead as an alloying element in certain steel, aluminum, and copper products
• Lead in high melting temperature type solders
• Lead in solders for servers, storage, and storage array systems (exempted until 2010)
• Lead in solders for certain network infrastructure equipment
• Lead in electronic ceramic parts
• Cadmium plating
• Hexavalent chromium in absorption refrigerators

The Directive is not applicable to spare parts needed for the repair or reuse of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market prior to July 1, 2006.