The RoHS and WEEE directives – recent developments
Electrical and component engineering companies exporting products to the EU are heavily governed by ROHS/WEEE legislation. As this effects companies located outside of the Union, it is essential to keep up to date with the latest changes, and have an effective master data management scheme that includes obsolescence management tools. RoHS/WEEE legislation is a complex area, but an essential one for PCB designers and component manufacturers, as it covers areas like tin-lead solders and semiconductor finishes. Both directives are in the process of being revised. It’s important to realize that the laws simply act as a template, and that each European country may have its own specific regulations. These can vary considerably between borders and be changed at any time, so it’s vital you keep stringent, up to date records, especially when dealing with different export destinations. The US Department of Commerce has a web portal (Buy USA Gov) to assist US engineering companies and component engineering firms exporting EEE (electrical and electronic equipment) to Europe. A valuable resource, it has country-by-country information on RoHS/WEEE implementation, and issues regular news updates. The latest news concerns revisions to the RoHS directive, which took place on November 24, 2010. A key change was the extension of the directive to cover all electrical and electronic equipment, apart from that covered by exclusions, with a transitional period of 8 years. A 3-year impact assessment plan has been suggested with an 18-month period before the changes become legally binding, but the implications are obvious. We at Enventure Technologies have a number of enterprise data management solutions in the area of environmental compliance, covering ELV, GADSL, ROHS, WEEE and REACH regulations.
When WEEE Compliance Can Cause Problems For Hardware Designers
The RoHS WEEE directive specifically forbids the use of lead in electronic components, unless the lead content is 0.1% or lower. This has effectively seen the end of tin lead (SnPb) finishes to a large extent, as component manufacturers switch to non-lead finishes. Some categories – for example, medical instruments and FPGA design for monitoring and control – were exempt. However, these exemption dates are coming to a close, causing headaches for mechanical engineering companies such as medical suppliers and aerospace firms. Many applications are committed to using SnPb components – often, the product lifespan covers decades, rather than years – forming major problems in obsolescence management if component manufacturers suddenly stop making them. It’s not always as easy as switching to a non-lead finish. The impact of using lead-free component technology in the aerospace industry was considered so serious that it led to the formation of the Lead-free in Aerospace Project (LEAP) working group, in partnership with the Aerospace Industries Association Government Electronics and Information Technology Association (GEIA). LEAP is an international group which includes members from both the EU and USA. It includes representatives from the world’s major aircraft and defence contractors, as well as mid-tier component manufacturers and mechanical engineering companies. When you’re building military aircraft, obsolescence management has to be tightly controlled, and the LEAP-WG has been feverishly working since before the RoHS directive was ever introduced, developing guidelines and acceptable lead-free practices for the aerospace industry. With the right obsolescence management tools, you can always be prepared. If you have RoHS/ WEEE worries, we at Enventure Technologies have solutions you can trust.
WEEE compliance
The WEEE directive compliance legislation is something almost any company that lists a computer or a piece of electronics in their assets will need to deal with eventually. For those engaged in manufacturing or selling anything with electronic or electrical components, this is one of the key components of environmental compliance management. WEEE stands for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. An old computer isn’t just a heavy piece of rubbish when it reaches the end of its life. While its exterior may consist of glass, metal, and plastic, what’s inside can be quite hazardous. Older batteries are especially problematic, and if waste electronics go straight to landfill, chemicals like lead and mercury can leach out and end up polluting the soil and the water table. Private individuals can sometimes send their broken and dead laptops and computers back to the manufacturer for safe disposal, but for the manufacturers themselves WEEE compliance can be a headache. Of course, they’ll also have to stay within other directives as well – many of the raw materials used to make electronic components include mercury and other chemicals covered by the Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive for example. Specialists like us can make sure your manufacturing company comes into environmental compliance of all kinds and stays that way. We understand WEEE, RoHS, REACH and others. With a software solution and the right staff training compliance is easy. We can also make sure it happens as efficiently as possible, so your workers can continue to add value to your business.
Do You Need to Worry about WEEE Compliance?
In this entry, we thought we would look briefly at the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive (or conveniently WEEE compliance) and why this environmental compliance directive may apply to you. WEEE is there to try and encourage the collection, recycling and recovery of all or parts of waste electronic or electrical apparatus. This is an EU directive which is implemented slightly differently by the various member nations, but in general if you are dealing in large or small household appliances, IT and telecoms equipment, consumer equipment, lighting equipment, electrical (and electronic) tools, electrical toys, leisure or sport equipment, medical devices, monitoring and control instruments and automatic dispensing machines then this recycling directive will apply to you. There are exceptions for things like implanted (or infected) equipment, large scale industrial tools that don’t ever move, military products, automotive and aerospace or aircraft products or the oddly described “surface transportation products”. If your company does manufacture anything that comes into the list of covered products then you need to register as a WEEE producer and you need to provide people who buy your products a means of returning the old items to you for recycling. You also need to make sure you are very open about how you are doing this recycling and cover all the costs associated with this. One of the easiest ways of doing this, and for most companies this would be the most convenient is to employ an external company who specialize in all the things associated with WEEE Compliance. They will also be able to advise you on your responsibilities and liabilities so it is worth chatting to one at the very least.