>> The 2002/95/EC Directive on the Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the RoHS Directive) takes effect on July 1, 2006. Products sold in European markets after the effective date will not be allowed to contain certain levels of mercury, cadmium, haxavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, or lead, including lead solders.

>> The 2002/96/EC Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the WEEE Directive) takes effect on August 13, 2005. After this date, new equipment placed on the market within Europe must comply with the requirements of the WEEE directive which aim to ensure that products can be easily broken down, or recycled at the end of the life cycle. For example instructions on how to recycle batteries from a cell phone or glass from a television screen.

>> Intertek offers a full range of RoHS compliance and WEEE compliance services, including Documentation Reviews, Bill of Materials/Product Analysis, Materials Screening, Full Verification Testing, and Training on the requirements of each directive.

>> Intertek’s fast turnaround on all RoHS Directive projects allows you to quickly and accurately verify the compliance of your products.


RoHS Compliance and WEEE Compliance Information Center

With millions of electrical and electronic products being introduced to the market each year, concern has continued to grow regarding the environmental impact of these products. Manufacturers, private-label branders, and importers and exporters will soon be required by regulatory bodies to minimize the threat their products present to the environment and to human health and safety.

Based on the need to limit a product’s environmental impact, the European Parliament published in the official journal two complementary directives (RoHS & WEEE) on ecology preservation:

>> The 2002/95/EC Directive on the Restriction of the use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the RoHS Directive); and >> The 2002/96/EC Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the WEEE Directive).


What products are affected?

It is essential to know how RoHS compliance and WEEE compliance will affect you. The introduction of these directives now puts stringent requirements on almost all consumer and commercial electrical and electronic products sold in Europe, including:

>> Large household appliances - Refrigerators, freezers, cookers, washing machines, tumble dryers etc.
>> Small household appliances - Vacuum cleaners, toasters, coffee makers, hair dryers, clocks, watches, scales etc.
>> IT & telecom equipment - Computers, printers, scanners, calculators, fax machines, phones, mobile phones etc.
>> Consumer electronics - Televisions, radios, video recorders, DVD players, cameras etc.
>> Lighting - Non-household fluorescent lamps, discharge lamps etc.
>> Electrical & electronic tools - Drills, saws, lawn mowers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, spraying equipment, riveting, nailing and screwing tools etc.
>> Toys, leisure & sports equipment - Electric trains, car racing sets, hand-held video game consoles, video games, computers for biking, diving, running, rowing, coin slot machines, and sports equipment with electric or electronic components etc.
>> Medical devices* - Products used for detecting, preventing, monitoring or alleviating illness, injury or disability.
>> Monitor & control instruments* - Smoke detectors, thermostats, measuring, weighing or adjusting appliances for household or laboratory use and industrial monitoring and control instruments.
>> Automatic dispensers - Dispensers automatically delivering goods, such as drinks, confectionary, money etc.

*Medical devices and monitor & control instruments are exempt from the RoHS Directive.

The only product types not affected are large scale, stationary industrial tools or equipment, filament light bulbs and household luminaires.

What are the specific requirements of the RoHS Directive and WEEE Directive?

RoHS Directive

The RoHS Directive bans the use of certain restricted substances in end products, which prevents the substances from entering waste streams. According to the directive, new electrical equipment placed on the market within Europe cannot contain more than maximum allowable levels of:
>> Lead
>> Cadmium
>> Mercury
>> Hexavalent chromium
>> Polybrominated bipenyl (PBB)
>> Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)
>> Certain brominated flame-retardants (BFR’S)

Among the RoHS Directive’s largest impacts to manufacturers is the transition from the use of lead solders to lead-free solders. It is crucial that manufacturers understand how RoHS compliance and WEEE compliance will affect you as well as the impact that this change could have on product design and overall product performance.

WEEE Directive

The WEEE Directive covers the waste management of electrical and electronic products and requires that new equipment placed on the market within Europe must comply with the collection, treatment, recycling and recovery requirements of the directive. These requirements aim to ensure that products can be easily broken down, reused or recycled at the end of the life cycle.

Why DTTS?

Once we have reviewed your Bill of Materials and/or product samples we will work with you to develop a test plan specific to your product requirements. Whether it’s Documentation Review, Materials Screening, or Full Verification Testing we will quickly conduct the appropriate analysis or testing to ensure you are meeting the requirements of each directive.

Our experience and industry expertise allows us to provide fast turnaround on all RoHS Directive projects. Taking advantage of DTTS’s RoHS testing and WEEE testing services will provide you with quick and accurate verification of your product compliance. If non-compliances are identified we will work with you to recommend the appropriate next steps to ensure you are in full compliance by the effective dates of each directive.