RoHS and WEEE
Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ROHS) Directive and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive.
If you manufacture, sell, distribute or recycle electrical and electronic equipment containing lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls or polybrominated diphenyl ethers, the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (ROHS) Directive may apply.
The WEEE and RoHS Directives impose a number of challenges on the electronics industry.
WEEE requires the recovery and recycling of electrical equipment and RoHS imposes the removal of lead (including leaded solder), mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium and two flame retardants from new electrical equipment sold after 1st July 2006.
This means that to comply you must be sure that your products are checked. The limits apply to each component part of the product, for example solder is regarded as a different component to the pieces it joins.
The percentages are: -
| Lead | less than 0.1% |
| Mercury | less than 0.1% |
| Chrome (VI) | less than 0.1% |
| Cadmium | less than 0.01% |
| Flame-retardants* | less than 0.1% |
(*These include Polybrominated biphenyls – PBB's, and Polybrominated diphenyl ethers – PBDE's)
In conjunction with Envirowise recommendations the presence of these can be checked using a low cost XRF screening technique.
If evidence is found then further in depth analyses can be applied.
Please contact us to discuss the products, methods and the range of charges for testing.
We are available to discuss and develop a strategy to help you comply with the Directive.
Enquiries and Technical queries -
Dave Jarvis or Alan Dyer, Sales & Marketing Manager
Tel : 0114 275 5111
info@assayoffice.co.uk
